The Marauders' Shining Moment
by Tirzah A. McGaffin
Summary: COMPLETE! Ani Hellsing's best friend Lily can't stand James Potter or his group of mischievous friends, but soon the six students find themselves in a situation where they must band together. JPLE, SBOCRL love triangle
1. The Last of the OWLs

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or the world they live in.  Anything that does not belong to JK Rowling (characters, plot, concepts, etc), however, is my own work.  Please respect my rights to it. . . or I'll get ya.  ;)

**Also, a bit of background information. . .**  This takes place right after the scene in Order of the Phoenix where Lily yells at James for picking on Snape--so it's right before the summer of their fifth year.  Andromeda Hellsing (Ani) is Lily's best friend, also in Gryffindor, and a casual acquaintance of the Marauders.

**And now, enjoy!**

*   *   *

It took a moment for Ani to realize that Lily had run off.

She waded out of the lake and dashed over the sun-warmed grass in the direction Lily had taken off in.  "_Accio_ shoes!" she called over her shoulder, catching the flying trainers by the laces as they zoomed towards her and stuffing her wand into the folds of her robes.  She lengthened her stride, huffing and puffing in hopes to catch up with Lily, but her best friend's longer legs and anger had carried her up over the crest of the hill before Ani had even noticed she'd left.

"Give me a break, Evans!" she gasped, finally catching Lily by the tail of her robes before the great doors of Hogwarts.  "If I'd known you'd wanted a race I would've stretched a bit before the sprint."   Lily didn't answer, merely stalked faster.  "Come on, Lil," Ani called after her.  "Whatever happened to a bit of fresh air before the Dark Arts practical?"

Lily snarled an incomprehensible reply, her angry footsteps echoing like thunderclaps over the marble staircase.  Somewhat emboldened by the fact that she was not on the receiving end of Lily's ire, Ani took a chance as she fell into step with her friend, linking her arm tentatively through Lily's.

"I'd like to feed him to the giant squid!" Lily muttered, her cream-coloured complexion quickly morphing to match her deep red hair.  "Of all the disgusting, foul creatures. . ."

"Tell me about it," Ani commiserated, fingers of her wand hand flexing.  A hot rush of hatred flooded her being.  She had personally never had a problem with Severus Snape: his acid personality had made him a target amongst the other students, but he'd personally never wronged her.  _Until,_ she thought bitterly, _that foul remark he just flung at Lily._  "He'll get his," she said now to her friend, wishing fervently that it had been she who had dangled Snape upside down for the world to see his skivvies.  "He can't go around making comments like that, especially in front of people who hate him.  I mean, Lucien Covelt is Muggle-born and he's had it out for Snape since second year.  I imagine there'll be a showdown at supper to--"

Lily whirled, her ribbon-straight hair nearly smacking Ani in the face as she, Lily, stopped unexpectedly at the landing before the stairs to the Gryffindor tower.  "I'm not talking about _Snivellus_, Ani!" she hissed, her green eyes ablaze.  "I couldn't care less about that greasy little pimple!"  She let out a low growl of frustration and started back up the stairs.

Blinking, Ani fell back into step with her friend.  "If you're not peeved with Snape," she said slowly, "then what's got you in such a huff?"

Furious, Lily barked, "Potter!" then paused in front of the Fat Lady to shout "Butterbeer!" ("Nasty stuff," the portrait remarked as the two girls slipped past her, "rots your teeth.")  Lily took in a heaving breath, throwing herself into an armchair in the common room.  "Obnoxious, arrogant, hateful James Potter!"

Ani paused before the fire, letting the heat dry the damp ends of her robes which had trailed into the lake, and turned away from Lily quickly, bringing a hand up to conceal the slow smile that had taken over her face.  Of course.  If anything could get Lily more riled than someone calling her a Mudblood, it would be James Potter.

Repressing a chuckle that she knew Lily would find maddening, Ani turned back to her friend and said soothingly, "Come off it, Evans."  She folded herself into the adjacent armchair and ignored the look Lily shot at her.  "We both know that you wouldn't find Potter nearly so infuriating if he didn't fly like he was born on a broomstick, or have those big hazel eyes or that crooked grin you like so well."

For a moment Ani thought her friend was going to fly at her, but a beat passed and the anger fled her face, leaving a wry grin in its place.  "Am I that obvious?" she asked dejectedly, her smile belying her defeated tone.

"Only to me, mate," Ani replied cheerfully, taking Lily's hand and squeezing.  "We've been friends since before we could grip a wand--you're not telling me anything I haven't known for years."  She winked.  "Besides, I've found wadded up scraps of parchment in your room with the initials 'JP + LE' inside of a great bloody heart.  You've never been exactly subtle, Lil!"

"Well, you're not exactly a mystery either, Ani Hellsing!" Lily laughed, and Ani felt a great sense of relief in hearing her giggle again.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ani said simply, removing her wand from her robe pocket and twirling it over her fingers, a fidgety act that she knew drove Lily barking mad.  A knowing look took over Lily's face and Ani braced herself for an interrogation.

"Well," Lily said primly, her green eyes giving Ani a meaningful look, "let's just say your recent befriending of a certain good-looking fifth year has not gone unnoticed around the school."

A beat passed and Ani blinked, confused.  "What are you talking about?" she asked.

Exasperated, Lily exclaimed, "Remus Lupin, you twit!  I've seen you two leaving Transfiguration together, and don't think I haven't noticed him coming up to talk to you after dinner every evening!"

Laughter escaped from Ani's lips.  "Oh, Lil!" she snickered.  "You're not serious?  Remus Lupin!"  Lily's face went blank as Ani said, "Oh, love, trust me on this one, I certainly don't fancy _Lupin!_  Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy and all. . . but he's also the best in Transfiguration this year, and if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be able to scrape an A on my O.W.L."

"You mean to say he's your _tutor?"_ Lily gasped.

"Well, I haven't been meeting him in the commons room during your Quidditch practices to snog with him, that's for certain!" Ani retorted.  "He tutors me in Transfiguration and I help him with his astronomy.  Seriously, he's a smart kid, but besides knowing moon phases, he can't read a star chart to save his life."  She shook her head, her cascade of brown ringlets swirling around her face.  "No, Lil, Lupin's just a friend, I swear it."

Lily fell back into the armchair with a sound of disgust.  "Well!" she huffed.  "I'm certainly glad I don't have to beat you for keeping secrets from me."

She laughed.  "Come off it," she teased, reaching out to tug on Lily's hair.  "If it'll make you feel any better, I'll bat my eyes and toss my hair and giggle whenever Lupin walks by, so you won't have to be wrong."

"Twit," Lily joked.  She sighed dramatically, folding her arms over her chest.  "I'll admit I'd gotten excited, Ani.  I was hoping you and I could have some conversations about _boys_ for a change instead of the Wronski Feint before bed!"

"You want to talk about _boys _do you?" she laughed back.  "I'll talk about boys all you want.  Just not Lupin."  She cleared her throat, her silliness gone.  Perhaps now was as good a time as any to confess to Lily.  "In fact," she continued, her wand twirling reaching a frenzied speed, "if any of the fifth years have caught my eye. . . it would be someone more along the lines of the 'tall, dark, and handsome'."  

She determinedly avoided Lily's piercing eyes, feeling rather than seeing them boring into her skull.  "Ani," Lily said sharply, sitting up straight once more.  "You don't mean. . . are you talking about _Sirius Black_?  You're having me on!"

Ani repressed a sigh.  She should have been prepared for the disapproval.  If Lily thought that _James_ was obnoxious and immature, then it would be useless to try to convince her of Sirius's appeal.

The Fearsome Foursome--James Potter, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew--had been the source of Gryffindor entertainment and mischief for the past five years. Lily had never been a prude about having a good time; having practically grown up with Ani and her two brothers, she had always had her hand in a bit of mischief. But Lily could never resist an opportunity to harp on James and Sirius--Remus and Peter were generally better behaved--and Ani believed it stemmed from a deep desire to take James and make him into someone of whom her parents would approve.

Of course, she'd never tell Lily that!

Ani, on the other hand, couldn't get enough of Sirius.  Sure, it didn't hurt that he was the best looking boy in the year--maybe even in the school--with those deep eyes and that casually tousled dark hair.  But it wasn't as though she thought he would ever fancy her: she'd seen the disdainful looks he gave the ridiculous, giggling girls who tailed him through the halls.  Still; Sirius had never been outright rude to her, always pausing to say, "All right, Hellsing?" when they passed in the halls, and the appreciative looks he tossed her whenever she laughed at his and James' antics were enough to counterbalance Lily's burning glares.  __

_Still,_ Ani thought to herself, _I've got no illusions._  She knew what kind of family Sirius Black came from.  Her own father had warned her of the Black family one day in her third year when they'd passed James and Sirius in Diagon Alley while shopping for books.  "Make no mistake, my girl," he warned her as he watched the two dark heads weave through the streets.  "No man should be judged for the errors of his fathers.  But the Blacks have evil in their ways.  The boy might well be different--I don't know.  But you would do well to keep away from him."

No.  Ani knew better than to take up with Sirius Black.

"Don't look at me like that, Ani," Lily said, sounding somewhat mollified.  Ani blinked out of her memories and realized that a deep scowl had creased her face.  "I'm not trying to be critical.  Sirius is just--"

"I know, I know," Ani said and forced herself to laugh.  "He's a prat and he's terribly conceited and he's probably about as interested in me as a house elf is in knickers.  I know all that, Lil."

"He'd be nutters not to be interested in you, Ani," her best friend said loyally.

"Anyway," Ani said, rolling her eyes.  "I'm not serious about Black."  Lily groaned at the pun as she continued.  "He's just nice to look at when I'm dozing in class, that's all."

"You would think that," Lily teased.  She pushed up from the chair and extended her hand to her friend.  "Glad to hear your talking sense again.  Come on.  Come help me with my hexes.  The practical starts in an hour."

They swung out of the portrait again, waving to the Fat Lady as they headed towards the stairs.  "You know," Lily went on, bumping Ani with her hip.  "If you ever decide to give up on Black. . . I still think Remus would be good for you."

Ani shouted with laughter.  Lily never gave up.  "Well, we're getting together to study at the last minute for the Transfiguration O.W.L. tonight.  Maybe I'll snog some answers out of him.  You never know!"

*   *   *

"If you stare at her any harder, Prongs, you're going to lose an eye," Remus joked.

Sirius snorted as he took a sip of pumpkin juice, giving Remus a high five as James threw him a wicked glare.  He glanced down the Gryffindor table to where Lily Evans--James' longest lasting obsession, next to Quidditch--held court in front of a group of fifth and sixth year girls.  She tossed gleaming red hair over her shoulder and glanced up the table, meeting his eyes for a split second.  A frown furrowed her brow and she turned away quickly.

James glared at his plate.  "I don't bloody get women," he muttered.  He poured gravy over his mashed potatoes as though he intended to drown them.  "She rattles off at me for antagonizing Snivellus. . ."

"I should've given the git detention for calling her a Mudblood," Remus grumbled.  "He can't get off with things like that, especially now that all that ridiculous talk of a Pureblood sanctity act has come about."

Sirius declined to comment.  He knew full well that his parents were more than happy with the mutterings of expelling the halfbloods from all of the high-end wizarding institutions.  His father had spent the greater part of the summer applauding the Ministry officials who had thrown their support behind a potential act against "the halfblooded filth" as he called them.

"What you should have done is popped him in his nasty mouth," James said hotly.

The three of them shot dirty looks over to the Slytherin table.  Snape sat safely ensconced in a mass of his ape-like housemates.  He felt their gazes on him and shot a rude gesture across the tables.  James growled low in his throat as Sirius half-rose from his seat.  Only a sharp look from Remus--and Dumbledore's watchful eye from the head table--brought him back to sit down as James continued.  "And then he bites her hand like a bad tempered dog and she won't let me defend her!"

Remus made a sympathetic noise but Sirius snorted.  "Evans doesn't want you to be a knight in shining armour, James," he informed his best friend.  "She wants you to be a dull-as-mud prefect--" Here he glanced apologetically at Remus, who waved him off with a grin "--with your hair always combed and your nose always clean."  James laughed ruefully and rumpled his already unruly black hair with one hand.  "Trust me, mate, you're better off with another girl."

But the advice was useless.  In James' eyes, there was no one better than Lily Evans. 

Sirius sighed inwardly and picked at the food on his plate.  It was bad enough James had it in his head that the only way to impress Lily was to be in her face almost constantly, but the fact that he hadn't been able to focus on anything else since she'd all but slapped him out in the yard that morning was quickly becoming tiring.  _I want my mate to have what he wants and all, _Sirius thought to himself, _but not if it means he'll be drooling over Lily for the rest of his life!_

There was a flurry of activity in the aisle as Wormtail tossed down his knapsack and slid into the empty seat next to Remus.  "Fell asleep studying for Transfiguration," he muttered, heaping a pile of soup beans onto his plate.  "Why didn't you wake me?"

"Figured you could use the rest," James said airily.  He tossed a cornbread muffin to Peter, who caught it with a fumble and a squeak.  "Besides, you won't sleep tonight--Remus plans to study all night, and who are we to leave a Marauder to fight a battle on his own?"

"I might have missed dinner_, _you git," Peter snapped around the ham in his mouth.

"If anyone could afford it, you could."  Sirius' eyes swept derisively over Peter's round, soft body, watching as a faint blush stained his cheeks.  "No worries, Wormtail," he said coolly.  "If you'd missed dinner, you could always scamper down to the kitchen and nick yourself some cheese."

Peter muttered something about not wanting to get caught by Mousebane, the groundskeeper's cat, like last time as Remus wiped his mouth with his napkin and pushed up from the table, looking vaguely determined.  "Where are you off to, Moony?" Peter asked, eager to get the attention off of himself and onto anything else.

Remus' gaze twinkled as he brushed a hand over his own honey-coloured hair and winked down at James.  "If we're going to be up all night," he said, brown eyes laughing down at them, "I thought we might better the company a bit."

The remaining three friends exchanged quizzical glances and watched as Remus strolled up the aisle and paused by the group of girls who surrounded Lily.  Sirius felt his eyes grow wide as Remus singled out one of the group, who turned in her seat to look up at him with bright golden eyes, a smile on her face.  "Oh ho," James said smugly, giving a knowing look to Sirius.  "Looks like the werewolf's got his eye on pretty Ani Hellsing.  Not bad, Remus!"

They watched as Remus spoke earnestly to the petite brunette and James drew in his breath eagerly as the pair turned to Lily.  The redhead listened to Remus for a few moments, looking skeptical, and then cast a wary glance down towards where the Marauders sat.  Hopefully, James flashed a smile.  Lily rolled her eyes and looked back to Remus, nodding reluctantly.  Their friend nodded, satisfied, and then cuffed Ani gently on the shoulder before turning back and rejoining the group.

James all but pounced on him, grabbing him by the collar of his robes, shaking him.  "What did you say to her?" he demanded as Remus laughed and struggled to push him off.  "Moony, I'm gonna hex you if you don't tell me!"

"Geroff," Remus laughed, shoving James in the chest.  "Ani was going to join us for studying tonight and I just asked Lily if she'd like to join us."  He gave James a sideward glance and winked at Sirius, who grinned at James' rapturous expression.  "Despite her initial reluctance, she said she'd be there."

"_Yes!"_ James shouted, punching one fist into the air.  The Marauders laughed and James launched himself at Remus, mussing his hair and punching him and laughing triumphantly.  "I owe you, Moony!  I owe you big time!"


	2. Transmogrify Newt!

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or the world they live in. Anything that does not belong to JK Rowling (characters, plot, concepts, etc), however, is my own work. Please respect my rights to it. . . or I'll get ya. ;)  I have also used The Harry Potter Lexicon for several reference points: I'm having trouble putting in the hyper-link or address, so just go to Google and type in "Harry Potter Lexicon."****

**Author's Request:**  I realize there may seem to be some discrepancies in my story so far.  (For example, I have trouble remembering which spells do what.)  I have to ask that you let me flesh it out a bit so that I can fill in some of the gaps.  I promise to remain as true to JK Rowling as I possibly can.  As the plot goes on, and there's just something that *really* doesn't sit right with you, then do let me know.  I try to be accommodating.  Also, because of school constraints, chapters will be short for awhile.  Nothing I can do about this.  I'll try to make it up to you.

**Last but not least!  **THANK YOU!  I was absolutely astonished how many of you reviewed the first chapter on its first day!!  It was a great confidence builder.  Thanks, and I promise to try to keep it up! 

*   *   *

The Snitch that James had nicked—Sirius still wasn't sure how he'd managed that one—was fluttering lazily around the room, seeming to have realized that no one was chasing it and therefore ceasing its frantic zooming.  It had smacked into the rain clouded window over the table where Sirius was sitting a few times, making him suspect that it was somewhat damaged from its kidnapping.  

He let out a tiny sigh and glanced at the watch wrapped around his wrist.  The glass had been shattered and mended so many times thanks to a few unlucky run-ins with straying Bludgers that it had gone faintly foggy.  He could, however, still make out the numbers well enough to know that Moony's study group was due to start at any second now, yet he remained the only one sitting at the designated table.

It was understandable, however.  Both Lily and James had blown in and out of the common room, filthy and soaking from what had appeared to be a vicious Quidditch practice and asking Remus to excuse them from the session long enough to catch a quick shower.  Both Remus and Sirius had exchanged suggestive glances, but had managed to keep their mouths shut at a sharp look from Lily.  Remus had then had to dash out for a prefects' meeting, promising it would be short, and as for Wormtail, he had scuttled off to the library directly after dinner, wanting to grab a last minute book on cross-species transfigurations.  As for Ani Hellsing, he hadn't seen her since dinner and had no idea where she might be.

Sirius sighed again and reached into his pocket, fingering the folded letter he found there.  His surprise at seeing Alden, his father's menacing black Eagle owl, swooping into the Great Hall that morning was as great as if his father himself had strolled in, shaken Dumbledore's hand, and embraced his son with a kiss.  Alden had landed before Sirius with a look of great scorn: like his master, Alden much preferred Regulus, Sirius' brother, and made a point of snipping at his fingers whenever he did deliver the rare letter to Sirius.  Ignoring James' questions and carefully untying the letter from the owl's leg, he pocketed the letter, refusing to read it before an audience.

He'd read it just a few moments ago, when the common room had grown relatively empty and he was alone.  He could feel his mood blackening as he read his father's stately hand.**__**

**_"Sirius—_**

**I write only to remind you of your instructions after the end of this term.  Upon your return from Hogwarts you will come directly home—your mother and I do not wish to track you down as we were required to do last summer.  If we find your marks and your conduct satisfactory we will consider allowing you to make a trip to visit your friend James, but until that point you will remain at Grimmauld Place.**

**In other news, please give my and your mother's regards to your brother, Regulus.  Due to an onslaught of recent business I have not been able to pen my usual weekly correspondence with him.  I will see you at the end of your term.  There will be no need to reply to this owl.**

**_Your esteemed father, etc…"_**__

He'd resisted the urge to crumple the letter and cast it into the smoldering fire.  Instead, with great restraint, he'd folded it up and placed it back in his pocket and continued staring morosely out the window.  The weekly correspondence dig was a nice touch: a none-too-subtle reminder to Sirius that he was unworthy of any sort of notice from his father.  

_Oh well,_ he thought.  _There go my summer plans with the guys._  At the beginning of the term, James had grandly announced that Remus, Peter and Sirius were invited to spend the summer with him and his parents at a bed and breakfast outside of Bath.  Sirius had been greatly anticipating the holiday—summers at his home were becoming steadily less pleasant, especially after last year when he had decided to avoid his parents and nip off to the Potters' straight off the train, as referenced in his father's letter.  He could still remember his punishment for that one.  He'd hoped by asking permission this year he would be given a little more leniency, and for a while he thought his father had finally relented. The plans for summer at the Potters' had been sustaining Sirius throughout his year—now, he had nothing to look forward to except the company of his younger brother and Kreacher, his mother's creepy old house elf.

The portrait covering the entrance to the tower squeaked open and Sirius hastily pulled his hand out of his pocket.  Ani Hellsing tumbled through the hole, the portrait swinging shut behind her, and scanned the room with her eyes.  They landed on Sirius, who casually raised one hand in greeting.  She crossed the room towards him, picking bits of feathers out of her hair as she went.  "Sorry about being so late," Ani said a bit breathily, her gold eyes bright in her flushed face.  "I was off in the Owlery sending a package to my mum."

Sirius had seen her up there before whenever he'd gone with James to send a letter, and remembered—with a tweak of envy—that she had a tawny, deep eyed barn owl she called Ghost.  She'd once held out her arm and let the handsome creature hop onto his shoulder, where it nestled and clicked affectionately at his ear.  Ghost, it seemed, liked Sirius better than Alden did.  "No worries," he said to her apology.  "Remus had a prefect meeting and Lily and James dashed off for a shower.  Besides, we've got all night."

"I'm going to need all of it," she said good-naturedly.  "I've got piles of notes to review.  That's why I sent the package off to Mum, as a thank you present; she's been sending me hints and tips by owl for a month now."  She laid her _Intermediate Transfiguration_ book on the table and sat in the chair at the table across from Sirius, tucking her legs up so that her robes fell over and around the chair, giving her the impression of floating in midair.  She faced him—_Those gold eyes make her look a bit like an owl herself, _Sirius thought—and pulled her wand out of her pocket, twirling it over her fingers in a way that reminded Sirius of James.  "I can't wait to get this thing over with," Ani went on conversationally.  She aimed her wand at one of her textbooks and muttered an incantation under her breath.  "The sooner I get the slaughter over with, the better."

"Not your best subject?" Sirius asked, repressing a chuckle as the heavy book sprouted what appeared to be crab legs and scuttled blindly across the table.  

"Hardly," Ani said dryly.  "I'm definitely more of a potions kind of girl."

"Potions," Sirius said, shaking his head.  "Not my cup.  I'll definitely stick to Transfiguration."  He unsheathed his own wand and gave the counter spell, causing the book to lay flat and still once more.

Ani looked impressed.  "Not bad," she complimented him.

Sirius shrugged.  Normally, especially if James were there, that would be an open invitation to show her something _really_ impressive.  Instead, he gave her a lazy smile and waved his wand again.  This time, the book shifted and morphed, changing into a thin, deep green bird with gloomy, glassy black eyes.  Ani gave an appreciative gasp and clapped her hands together as the large bird spread its wings and flapped lazily towards the window.  It pecked at the window and let out a long, mournful call.  Grinning at Ani, Sirius waved his wand again, and the bird morphed back into a book.

"An augurey!" Ani cried out, delighted.  "That's an Irish phoenix, right?  I've never seen one before!"

"I thought it was appropriate," Sirius said, leaning back in his chair once more, "seeing as how their call brings rain."  Her pleasure brought a smile to his face.

The girl tilted back in her chair, looking at him appraisingly.  "You're just as good as Remus," she said thoughtfully.  "You make it look like it hardly takes any effort at all."

He shrugged.  "Remus knows more about the technical aspects of Transfiguration than I ever will," he admitted.  "He's studied nonstop.  He's definitely the best person in the year to tutor you."

"Modest, too," Ani teased.

He laughed in earnest this time.  "I just like to give credit where credit is due," Sirius said.  "Besides, Remus is the greatest."

"I certainly am," a laughing voice boomed nearby.  Sirius jumped; he hadn't even heard his friend enter the room.  The werewolf beamed at the two of them as he crossed the room and clapped Sirius happily on the shoulder.  "Lupin the Great, that's me," he joked, winking at Ani.  "Get your notes out, you two.  As soon as the others show up, we'll start."

*   *   *

"I will never understand this!" Ani bellowed, throwing herself back in her chair.  In a fit of temper she hurled her wand across the room, casting a glare at the painting of a group of giggling school-age witches who shrieked and dashed from the frame as her wand flew towards them.  The hazelwood wand clattered despondently to the floor.

Patiently, Remus summoned the wand back and handed it to her.  Ani took it grudgingly and sat back, watching as James—infuriatingly—turned the needle on which she'd been practicing into a wriggling newt and back again.  Her last attempt had turned the thing slimy and somewhat less rigid, but it did not produce the legs or eyes or claws—things she knew McGonagall would be looking for.  She saw James glance at Lily, as eager for her approval as a niffler for a trinket, but Lily kept her eyes schooled to the notes she was scanning over.  Ani grinned to herself.  Lily was bound and determined to ignore James for the rest of the night if it killed her.

Remus patted Ani on the wrist comfortingly.  "You're doing much better, Ani," he encouraged her.  "At least you're getting results now.  And remember, you're tired.  It'll go much more smoothly once you've gotten some rest and can focus your whole mind on it."

"Even my whole mind is no match for this," Ani said with a defeated sigh.  

"Give it a ten minute break, and try again," he suggested, and turned away, prodding Peter—who had fallen asleep and was drooling peacefully on a stack of Remus' notes—with the tip of his wand.

Ani rolled her neck and arched her back, hoping to ease the stiffness out of her protesting muscles.  The common room was dark and silent, save for their voices.  Even the rest of the fifth years preparing for their O.W.L.s had drifted upstairs to bed.  The fire had almost died at one point until she had cast an ever-warm charm which brought the flames leaping merrily back to life.  Only Lily and Remus still seemed to have their minds set on studying.  Peter had fallen asleep, she, Ani, had grown frustrated and tired, and James was too busy trying to impress Lily to do any real kind of work.  Sirius had seemingly grown bored and had taken to brooding, staring out the window.  For some reason, his dark mood pulled a twinge in Ani's heart.  

While Remus furrowed his brow and bent over to further explain trans-species transfiguration to a bleary eyed Peter, Ani stole a furtive glance at Lily.  Her best friend still appeared to be engrossed in her notes, her green eyes flitting like hummingbird wings over the pages.  Ani took the momentary lack of attention on herself and took a spare sheet of parchment.  With deft fingers she folded it over and over in a familiar origami style; when she was small—back before she'd known anything about witchcraft, or any part of her family's heritage—her father had taught her the art of folding paper to keep her entertained.  Upon entering Hogwarts she found that, though it took a bit more effort, parchment worked just as well.   With a satisfied smile, she cradled the little creation, a swan, in her palm.  Glancing at Sirius, she held the paper up to her lips and whispered a charm and set it off into the air.

His head snapped up as the swan drifted dreamily through the air, circling his head.  A ghost of a grin traced his lips as he looked over at Ani and reached up to catch the little bird carefully in one hand, careful not to bruise its wings.  Ani chuckled and turned to Remus, who was looking at her with an expression somewhere between exasperation and amusement.  "I can't turn that damn needle into a newt," she told him playfully, "but I can turn paper into birds and I think that's pretty good, don't you?"

The sandy-haired boy threw his hands up and laughed.  "Yes," he said, rolling his eyes.  "I think we've reached a standstill."  He pursed his lips, crossed his arms over his chest and announced, "You are dismissed" in an uncanny imitation of Professor McGonagall.  

The other five laughed and slowly began to gather their things.  Ani glanced up from a pile of papers to see Remus watching her steadily, a slight apprehension creasing his brow.  His concern touched her.  A slow grin tugged up the corners of her mouth.  "Alright, you slave driver," she joked, unsheathing her wand once more.  "But if I don't get it the first time, I'm going to bed!"

"That's all I ask," he replied, grinning.

Ani wedged her tongue between her teeth, concentrating hard as Remus and Sirius paused to watch.  _If I can do this, _she thought to herself as her mind's eye pictured a newt's wriggling body, its cool, slimy flesh, and its bulbous, innocent eyes, _I'll treat myself to a huge slab of Honeydukes chocolate on the last Hogsmeade day before the holiday.  How's that for initiative?_  The silvery sheen of the needle began to morph, ever so slightly, and seizing the moment, Ani pointed her wand and shouted, "_Transmogrify newt!"_

Both the boys shouted as the newt wriggled off the table and onto the floor.  "_Accio Newt!"_ Remus cried out happily, and caught the squirming creature in his hand, changing it—quick as a thought—back into a needle.  "Well done, Ani!" he exclaimed.  Ani couldn't help but grin at the proud expression on Remus' face.  "You'll smash that practical tomorrow!"

"Thanks to you," Ani said gratefully.  She waved as Remus clattered up the stairs to the dormitory, a bounce in his step that made Ani feel somehow warm inside.  _I really ought to make a point to be better friends with Lupin,_ she thought to herself, watching his thin frame disappear up the stairs.  _He really is a great guy._

Suddenly, Ani felt a movement behind her and warm breath on her cheek.  "Well done, indeed," Sirius said softly into her ear.

Ani swallowed hard—this was the closest she'd ever stood to Sirius Black before, not counting the time he'd been chasing James through the hall, wand drawn, and had collided with her, grabbing her by the waist and setting her safely behind him before dashing off again.  She turned slowly, her mind scrambling for some witty retort, but as soon as she turned, he was gone.

A ridiculous grin spread across her face.  Maybe she'd learn to like Transfiguration yet!


	3. Leaving Hogwarts

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or the world they live in. Anything that does not belong to JK Rowling (characters, plot, concepts, etc), however, is my own work. Please respect my rights to it… or I'll get ya. ;)  I have also used The Harry Potter Lexicon for several reference points: I'm having trouble putting in the hyper-link or address, so just go to Google and type in "Harry Potter Lexicon."

**Author's Note:** Slightly longer chapter this time: it's also a bit more intense.  You have been fairly warned.  Please continue reviewing, I'm very interested in your opinions.

*   *   *

"Lily," Ani said patiently, folding a robe neatly and placing it in the bottom of her trunk, not lifting her eyes.  "If you do not stop glaring at me behind my back, I'm going to find your diary, rip out the passages where you talk about how dreamy James Potter is, and I'm going to paper the walls of the Great Hall with them."

Gold eyes met green as Ani glanced into Lily's chilling glare.  "You wouldn't dare," Lily snarled, a smile creeping in behind her eyes.  

She winked and went back to packing.  "See if you can stop me." She glanced over to Lily's bed where clothes and spellbooks lay strewn about.  "You're going to leave all this 'til the last minute and make us late for the train tomorrow if you don't pack, Lil," she said in a voice that sounded suspiciously like her own mother's.

"Stop avoiding the subject," Lily snapped, throwing a sock at Ani's head.

"And which subject would that be?" Ani retorted, tossing the sock back.

"_Andromeda!"_

Ani blinked innocently at her friend as she closed her trunk soundly and waved her wand, the magical locks latching soundlessly. "Honestly, Lil," she said with a glance out the window, hoping for a glimpse of Ghost as he dove through the deepening twilight.  He usually was fairly good about returning to her dorm window before she left for home, but it still made her nervous when he hadn't appeared by the evening of the End-of-the-Year feast.  "I don't know what you're talking about."

Exasperated, Lily flopped down on Ani's bed and eyed her critically.  "Since you insist on being dense, I'll spell it out for you," she sighed dramatically, making Ani smile.  "I want to know if you're going to ask Remus to write you over the summer."

Ani groaned.  "Are you still on this Lupin kick?" she asked despairingly.  At Lily's affirmative nod she threw her hands into the air.  "Bloody Merlin's ghost, Lily, can't you let it go?  He's just a friend, and he'll write to me if he wants to!  I'm not going to ask him for an owl, he'll think I'm barking!  I might as well throw my arms around him and cry out, 'Snog me, please!'"

"You never know," Lily mused.  "Sometimes the most obvious ploys work the best."

Ani laughed aloud.  "You are a hopeless case, Lillian Evans," she informed her friend.                         

Lily replied, "As are you, Andromeda Hellsing."  She folded her arms over her chest and leveled a solemn gaze at Ani.  "I'm serious, you know."

"Yeah, I know.  Seriously off your broomstick."

"You can't tell me that you don't like him!" Lily went on, pretending she hadn't heard the insult.  "And don't give me that rubbish about hardly knowing him.  You two spent nearly the whole day in Hogsmeade together this weekend."

She shook her head.  "I _do_ like him, but I _don't_ fancy him," Ani insisted.  She flicked her wand quickly in the direction of Ghost's cage and said "_Evanesco!  Scourgify_!", vanishing the remains of the owl's hunts and scrubbing the bottom of the cage clean.  "And it wasn't as if we were alone in Hogsmeade.  I talked to you and Sirius and James and Peter just as much as I talked to Remus.  He's just a friend, Lil, let it go!"

"He'd be good for you, Ani, you know he would," Lily persisted.  "He's so intelligent and he's certainly handsome enough—"

"So is James, and you don't see me harping you to chase after him," Ani shot back.

An exasperated snort told Ani that it would have been useless even if she had.  "James is also a complete baboon, in case it's failed to escape your notice."

Under her breath, Ani muttered, "How could it?  You only talk about it all the time."

Lily drew in her breath and said stiffly, "I'm sorry.  But I'm only trying to help, you know."

She sighed, and circled the bed, perching on its edge next to her best friend.  "I know, Lil," she said as calmly as possible.  "But I can't help but get the feeling that if I hadn't said anything about fancying Sirius you wouldn't even give Remus the extra thought.  And that's not fair to him, or to me… or even to Sirius, for that matter."  Lily glanced away and Ani put an arm around her shoulders.  "I know you're just trying to look out for me, love," she assured her quietly.  "But ramming Remus Lupin down my throat is not the way to have at it."

Suddenly Lily looked much older than her fifteen years.  She rubbed at her eyes and sighed heavily, then leaned over and put her head on Ani's shoulder.  "It's mainly that I just want you to be happy," she said unhappily.  Ani nodded and kissed her friend's forehead as Lily let out another deep breath and continued.  "But I also can't help but worry about you liking Sirius because… well, because of his family."

Ani started.  This was news to her.  At last it seemed the truth was coming out.  "What do you mean?" she inquired.  "It's just a harmless crush.  I'm not planning on marrying into the 'noble and most ancient house of Black.'"  She intoned the axiom as she'd once heard her father say it, full of pomp, and was rewarded by a wan smile from Lily.  

Shifting uncomfortably, Lily continued.  "I know… but think about it, Ani.  Let's say you do take up with him.  He's as pure blooded as you can get; and here you are, best friends with a Mudblood."  A sickening swell of shock moved through Ani's body as Lily met Ani's shocked eyes and shrugged sadly.  "Maybe I'm just worried that when it comes to a choice between the two you'll realize that blood is thicker than water after all."

"Lily Evans, I _never_ would have expected you to be so entirely stupid!" Ani railed.  She pushed off the bed, her anger carrying to her feet, and whirled around to face the other girl.  "First of all, you have been my very best friend since the moment we met.  That you even thought for a second that I would ever stop being your friend is absurd!  And second of all, I don't give a damn about who or what your parents are or are not.  And neither does Sirius!  No one except those snot-nosed Slytherins would ever dare say anything to you about being Muggle-born."  She put her fists on her hips indignantly.  "Do you honestly think that Remus, or even James, would be friends with someone who got in a snit about bloodlines?  No!"  She put firm hands on Lily's shoulders and squared a look at her.  "No one—not Sirius Black, not even his whole pure-blooded git family—would _ever_ keep me from being friends with you.  No lie, Lil: you're the best person I know."

Her friend's green eyes were bright with tears.  "Oh, I know you're right," Lily admitted, sniffling, wiping her eyes on the hem of her sleeve.  "I've just been so anxious since the talk of this whole stupid Pureblood Sanctity Act came about.  I should've known better, I'm sorry Ani."

Planting another kiss on the top of Lily's head, Ani said firmly, "Don't be.  I'm glad you finally told me what was eating you.  I was certain you'd gone entirely mad."  They both laughed until Ani looked sternly at her friend.  "You'll stop with the Lupin bit?"

"Alright," Lily consented. "Reluctantly, though.  I still think you two would make a good match."

"And next time you get a worry like that into that pretty little red head of yours," Ani continued, ignoring the comment, "you just remember that to me, you're worth ten times the pedigree of any pureblood."

"I'll do that," Lily said with a grin. 

"Good!"  Ani nodded with great finality as suddenly, with a gentle swooshing, Ghost swept into the room, a limp vole dangling from his beak.  He perched atop the wardrobe and blinked benignly down at the two girls, chirruping deep in his throat.  "Ghost agrees," she said with a grin, holding out her arm for him to fly down to, then gently settling him into his cage, latching the door behind him.  "Now come on," she said cheerily, determined to set any of their unhappiness aside.  "A few waves of the wand and you'll be packed in no time.  Let's not miss the feast, eh?  I've a sneaking suspicion that Gryffindor has once again trounced Slytherin in the quest for the House Cup and I plan to see the look on Snivellus' face when it's announced!"

*   *   *

"Packed and ready, lads?"

Remus looked up from his seat at the long table to see Ani smiling down at him.  Lily—who had preceded her down the aisle—glanced over her shoulder, seemingly surprised that Ani had stopped to chat.  With a sigh of impatience, she walked back to join them, standing silently at Ani's side, refusing to meet the eyes of James, who was watching her closely.  He opened his mouth to say something and then let out a grunt of what seemed to be pain: the innocent look on Sirius' face suggested that he had been the cause.  Remus gave James a stern look ("Don't make an ass of yourself, mate," he heard Sirius mutter) and turned back to Ani with a grin.  Ever since their outing in Hogsmeade ("Your date," James had caroled with a simpering look on his face, earning a swipe from Remus, a roll of the eyes from Sirius and a tittering giggle from Peter) when either of them passed the other they always made a point to stop and talk.  Ani was smart and sharp and really intelligent, despite her difficulties with Transfiguration.  He found that he genuinely enjoyed talking to her.  _What's more,_ he thought to himself with a grin, _she can hold a conversation with me and not make calf-eyes at Sirius while she's doing it!  I didn't think girls like that existed._

"All but my broomstick," Remus said now to Ani.  "My parents sent me a brand new one for my birthday—a Switchback!  And since the Quidditch pitch is finally free—the Slytherins having decided they could stop practicing now that Gryffindor has won the Quidditch cup—" He smiled at Lily, who returned the gesture sincerely "—the Gryffindor sixth year lads have challenged us to match before bed tonight."

"You two ought to bring the girls out to watch," James blurted eagerly.  "We could use the support."

"We're more use to you on brooms than we are in the stands," Lily retorted, green fire shooting from her eyes.  Remus felt a brief twinge of pity for his best mate: he wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of that glare.  "If you'd pass the Quaffle once in awhile, Potter, it might surprise you that others are just as good at scoring as you are."

There was an uncomfortable pause.  "Chaps only, ladies, you understand," Sirius said with a grin, easing the tension.  "How are we supposed to impress you if you're winning the game for us?"

They laughed—though James reluctantly and Lily not at all—and Ani said, "We'll be there."  She tucked her arm through Lily's and said, "Best go grab a seat."  With a wave, the two girls were off, disappearing into the crowd of chattering students.

James slumped in his seat, running a hand hard through his hair.  "I can't say a damn thing to her without her snapping at me," he complained.  "Talking to Evans is like trying to give a treat to a Ukrainian Ironbelly!"

Sirius clapped his shoulder cheerfully.  "No worries, mate, that's a sign of good and true affection right there," he teased.

"That's right," Remus joined in, his mouth stretching in a grin.  "Why would you want to chase after a girl who likes you when you could have one who gets in a snit at the sight of you?  I mean, who needs affection and friendship?"

"He's got a point."  Peter picked up the game, sniggering.  "I mean, my folks can't stand each other and they've been married for twenty years."

"I'd hate my wife too if she gave me a great prat of a son like you," James muttered, giving Wormtail a hard punch in the arm.  He rubbed a hand hard over his hair and seemed on the verge of speaking again when the babbling quieted.  The four of them looked up to the head table where the staff had turned their eyes to Dumbledore, who rose from his seat and watched his students quiet, his bright eyes steady behind half-moon glasses.

Sirius leaned across the table and whispered to Remus, "He looks a bit put-off, don't you think?"

He shrugged and turned back to study the old, wise face.  Though there was nothing angry in Dumbledore's expression, something in his blue eyes brought a shiver up Remus' spine.  _Apprehension,_ he decided.  He ignored the others as they speculated as to what had Dumbledore in a temper, watching as the old man as he prepared to speak.

"So ends another year at Hogwarts."  Dumbledore smiled warmly down at the students, but his voice held a tone that Remus couldn't quite place.  On an instinct, he glanced down the table to where Ani sat with Lily and the rest of the girls.  As though she sensed his gaze, she looked up as well and furrowed her brow.  "What?" she mouthed, cocking her head to the side, a tumble of chocolate curls spilling over her face.  Remus shook his head—"Tell you later" he mouthed back.  She nodded vaguely as both turned their attention back to the Headmaster.  "Congratulations are in order to Gryffindor House, for both their exemplary behavior, resulting in their winning of the House Cup—" Dumbledore paused to let a great cheer rise from every table except Slytherin.  Remus was pleased to see Snape looking as though he'd been bitten in the arse by a hippogriff "—and for their exhibition of teamwork and talent, resulting in their winning of the Quidditch Cup."  The old man raised his glass and looked down into the beaming faces of the Gryffindors.  "To Gryffindor!"

"To Gryffindor!" the hall echoed back, and the students drank deeply.

"As you leave these halls, I implore you each to remember the lessons that we have struggled to teach you," Dumbledore went on, sounding grave.  "And not just those found in your textbooks, or in the lessons of your teachers.  I ask that each of you remember the lessons that cannot be taught from books—the lessons that life presents you as you walk its paths.

"Time changes all things," Dumbledore announced, his voice intensified, booming through the now dead-silent hall.  Remus shivered as the Headmaster's tone grew stronger and his words began to take on that of a chant.  "And that change comes upon us now.  The world shifts around you while you remain here, safe at Hogwarts.  I ask of you that when you go out into that world, away from the watchful eye of those who guide you through your school years, you remember always that though we are many Houses, we are one people, and only when united can we be strong."  For a brief moment, Remus felt as though Dumbledore's eyes bore down on him and the Marauders.  Then, as soon as it had happened, the sensation dissipated.  "Return safely," he said, the fervor gone from his voice.  "And thank you for this year."

Then, without another word, Dumbledore turned on his heel and left the Great Hall.

The staff looked just as stunned as the students.  As a dull murmur began to fill the room, Remus turned slowly in his seat and met three pairs of equally confused eyes.  "What," James asked slowly, his hazel eyes dark, "does he mean by all of that?"

Remus suddenly felt very cold.  "I don't know," he returned, equally slowly.  "But I assume we'll soon find out." 

*   *   *

Ani winced as Ghost's cage banged against her thigh.  The owl gave a flutter and an indignant hoot as she shifted her grasp on his cage and hoisted her knapsack of books higher over one shoulder.  "I'm never really aware of how many students there are in Hogwarts until all the train compartments fill up before we get there," she grumbled to Lily, who was following her slowly through the narrow corridor of the Hogwarts Express.  "We might as well just bunk down in the hall; this is pointless!"

Lily mumbled her agreement as a group of first-years scuttled underfoot, away from Sylvia Moonstone—the current Head Girl—who was caroling, "Five minutes until we leave!  Get back to your compartments as quickly as you can!"  The tall Ravenclaw shot a pointed look as Lily and Ani passed her, gesturing to her watch impatiently.

"We can see what time it is, you bloody hag," Lily said in a low voice as they passed.  Ani laughed.  "I'd like to take that watch and shove it up her—"

"Hellsing!  Evans!  Back here, we've got some space!"

"All right, Sirius?" Ani called back, waving.  She nudged the taller girl gently with Ghost's cage, pushing her along to the very last compartment in the car.  "Stop dragging your feet," she chided Lily under her breath.  "It's only one day, and it won't kill you to talk to James with a bit of civility."

"Easy for you to say," Lily retorted hotly.

"Trust me," Ani said through her teeth.  She flashed a smile at the three boys in the compartment as she and Lily entered.  "Thanks," she said to Peter as he gently removed Ghost's cage from her hand and set him near the window.  Ghost clicked his beak contentedly and sleepily tucked his head under one wing as Ani draped a cloth over the cage.  Remus shifted on the bench along the wall to make room for her.  She settled down between him and Sirius in time to see James rise and offer his seat to Lily.  She had to hide a grin with her mouth as Lily paused for a long moment, obviously fighting some intense inner battle.  Finally she nodded coolly at James and accepted his seat.  James, looking grimly satisfied, settled in on the floor.

Ani settled back against the cushions and grinned at the others.  "Who fancies a game of Exploding Snap?"

The day faded into afternoon comfortably.  By some unspoken agreement, Lily kept any sharp remarks about James to herself and by the same token, he seemed to be much less antagonizing.  The two read or talked with the others quietly, each politely ignoring the other.  Ani and Peter watched interestedly as Remus and Sirius played a heated game of Wizard's Chess with Sirius' ancient chess set.  (His pieces seemed to take perverse pleasure in the slaughter of Remus'.)  Sirius treated everyone to a handful of Chocolate Frogs when the snack trolley passed and it seemed that in no time they would be back at King's Cross Station.

She was half-listening to Lily and Sirius animatedly discuss their varying experiences in the Muggle world—"It's much less boring than you might imagine," Lily insisted to a skeptical looking Sirius—when the compartment door swung open.  Imagining it was probably one of the other fifth years, she turned expectantly, a smile on her lips.

It faded instantly.

Rodolphus Lestrange—a towering, dangerously handsome seventh year Slytherin—strolled casually into their compartment, hands clasped behind his back.  His eyes, so light a grey that they almost seemed transparent, swept scornfully over the younger Gryffindors.  His long, pale blond hair was tied back off of his broad shoulders and his jaw was so sharply chiseled that it seemed carved from ice.  He paused next to Ani and smiled down at her—the gesture brought waves of disgust cascading over her, but she kept her gaze steady and raised it to his.  "Andromeda," he greeted her with quiet self-assurance.  He lifted his eyes and surveyed the others.  "Black," he greeted Sirius, whose hackles were raised like an angry dog's.  "Pettigrew.  Potter."

The others nodded stiffly and inwardly Ani burned, noting his deliberate dismissal of Lily and Remus.  The reason was obvious—Lily was Muggle born, and Remus was a half-and-half, his mother a Muggle.  That Lestrange chose to acknowledge only she, Sirius, Peter and James—all of whom were, if not pureblooded, at least from Wizarding families—made her stomach turn with hatred.

She was about to tell Lestrange what he ought to do with himself when another body entered the small room.  "Little cousin," a female voice said silkily.  Ani's gaze jolted from Lestrange to a tall, regal looking witch that she recognized as Bellatrix Black, also a Slytherin seventh year, and Sirius' cousin to boot.  Over her shoulder, hovering just beyond the doorway and looking as though he'd sniffed something foul, was Severus Snape and a handsome, smaller boy who looked vaguely familiar.  Remus caught sight of the intruders and his eyes narrowed; James' fists were clenched, his arms clapped hard to his sides.  Peter whimpered; Lily had gone sheet white, and Ani knew her eyes were burning.  Only Sirius remained impassive.

Bellatrix's beautiful liquid black eyes beheld her cousin and his friends with a sneering condescension.  "Still playing nursemaid to the Mudbloods and misfits, Sirius?" she drawled, one perfect eyebrow arched as she looked with revulsion at Lily and Remus in turn.  James' breath drew in sharply at the slur, and both his and Ani's eyes shot to Lily.  Her already pale skin had bleached to the colour of chalk, but she firmly kept her chin up.  Ani felt a surge of pride for Lily—she knew she had to be scared.  Both Bellatrix and Rodolphus were known for their reverence for bloodlines.  Bellatrix clucked her tongue reproachfully at Sirius.  "Tsk tsk, coz.  What would your father say?"

"He'd say I was an insult to the name of Black," Sirius retorted coolly as he pushed to his feet.  Though his cousin was two years his senior, he stood even with height in her.  Their dark eyes blazed into each other's.  Sirius let his eyes drift casually to the two boys hovering in the doorway.  "But only until he saw the company you were keeping.  Really, Bellatrix: Snivellus, of all people?  Tell me, couldn't you at _least _get anyone better looking to go fagging after you?"

"Watch your tongue, Black," Snape sneered, his confidence obviously bolstered by Rodolphus and Bellatrix's presence.  "Wouldn't want you to lose it."

"What an excellent idea, _Snivellus_," James returned, surging to his feet, his hand flying in and out of his robes in a blur, his wand clenched in his fist.  He stood shoulder to shoulder with Sirius, his eyes bright in his flushed face.  "Let's try it out, shall we?  Your personality's only bound to improve if you can't speak."

Snape lurched backwards, but Lestrange had lazily drawn his own wand, pointing it squarely at James' chest.  James' shoulders heaved and he sent a blistering glare up into the much taller boy's face.  "Temper, temper, Potter," Lestrange demurred, touching the very tip of his wand to James' heart.  Sirius drew in a slow, deep breath but said nothing.  "I'd have thought your parents would have taught you better manners.  Perhaps I should do it instead?"

"Leave him alone!"

Ani's eyes went round as Lily leapt to her feet, high fingers of crimson creeping into her pale cheeks.  Lestrange turned slowly to face Lily, looking fairly amused, as though she were a tiny child shouting with her fists on her hips.  Bellatrix tipped her head back and let out a crisp laugh, which the boy in the hall echoed.  "Fancy that," Lestrange mused, turning his head to face Bellatrix and the other two.  "The half-breed ordering about her betters.  Tell me, Mudblood, didn't your worthless Muggle parents teach you to respect your superiors?"

"_Watch your mouth_!" James shouted.  In his fury, he flew towards Lestrange, fists drawn back.  Ani gasped, but quicker than a thought, Remus was on his feet, his arms bound tight around his best friend, effectively stopping him from attacking the larger boy.  James struggled and fumed, but Remus held tight, murmuring something low and soothing.  Within a few moments, James' anger had ebbed.

"At least some of your brother's friends have a bit of sense, Regulus," Lestrange commented, his voice still icy and smooth.  Ani went rigid as realization cleared her mind.  Of course the younger boy looked familiar—his face was an echo of Sirius'!  A look at Sirius confirmed the truth.  He was staring at Regulus with eyes so cold they burned, and the younger boy silently returned the icy glare.  Clearly there was no love lost between the brothers.

"We just stopped by for a visit," Lestrange went on.  He reached out to Bellatrix, lacing his long fingers through her hair.  She turned seductive, worshipful eyes towards him as he pulled back and looked around the room once more.  He met Ani's gaze once more and, appearing intrigued, took a step towards her.  She felt the tension in the room shift as both Sirius and Remus went board stiff.  Hoping she didn't look as petrified as she felt—Lestrange had proven many times in her years at Hogwarts that he was not one to be crossed—Ani exhaled slowly.  "I was wondering if you'd like to join us in our compartment up near the front, my dear," he said smoothly, the very epitome of good manners and charm.  "It's so crowded back here, and we've plenty of room."

Ani's fingers clenched.  She hated him.  The urge to reach up and claw at Lestrange's handsome, self-righteous face, leaving bloody stripes across the porcelain skin overtook her.  How dare he talk to her in that arrogant, assuming tone!  She opened her mouth to retort, but a glance at Lily made her think twice.  Her best friend's expression flitted between pure rage and pure terror.  Ani's mind cleared.  Lily was the one who was really at stake here.  For her sake, Ani had to get rid of Lestrange and Bellatrix as soon as possible.

She lowered her voice to ice and said firmly, "Thank you, Rodolphus, but no.  I have my owl's cage here, and I'd like to stay with my friends."

The older boy shrugged, nonchalant, but his eyes warned that he was not used to rejection.  "As you will."  He reached out with long, molded fingers and softly brushed a strand of hair away from Ani's cheek.  She pressed her hands hard in her lap and resisted the compulsion to slap his hand away.  Instead she schooled herself to stillness as he trailed light fingertips over the curve of her cheek and down the line of her neck.  Her pulse pounded in her throat.  A glance at Bellatrix nearly froze her blood—the older witch was looking at her with a look that bordered on loathing.  _Perfect,_ Ani moaned inwardly.  _An enemy in Bellatrix Black… just what I need!_  

Lestrange went on.  "I just thought it would do you some good to associate with your own kind.  The _right_ kind of wizard."  His polar eyes cut to Remus and Lily's words echoed in her mind: _Let's just say your recent befriending of a certain good-looking fifth year has not gone unnoticed around the school._

Bile burning her throat, Ani forced a smile.  Lestrange's fingers lingered at her throat, just above the necklace where the silver baby dragon's tooth her father had given her in her first year hung.  "I like my associations just fine, thank you," she replied.

Bellatrix's eyes flashed.  Turning to Lestrange, she said in a kittenish voice, "Oooh, a blood traitor. Is that the kind of girl you fancy now, Rodolphus?"

He gave her a warning glance and she instantly silenced.  He looked down at Ani again, apologetic.  "You'll have to excuse Bella," Lestrange said as he withdrew his hand from Ani's creeping flesh.  "She requires my attentions be upon her at all times."  He glanced up at Remus and James, both of whom were vibrating with indignation, and Sirius, whose handsome face was blank as parchment.  Peter and Lily, frightened, were still.  "It seems to me that our presence is no longer welcome, so I believe we shall depart."  He reached out for Ani's hand and raised it to his lips, never taking his eyes from hers.  "Have a good holiday, Andromeda," he murmured.  "I'm certain we'll be seeing each other again."

With a dismissive wave of his hand, he ushered Bellatrix—who sent Ani a scalding glare—out of the compartment.  Regulus Black, his face focused on his brother's, leaned through the door, Snape hanging behind him.  When he spoke, despite his youth, his voice was cold and dark.  "I'll see you at home, brother," he hissed as Sirius bared his teeth in a snarl.  "This tale will please Father, I'm certain."

He turned and left.  Snape gave his peers one last sneering look.  "Just as well," he said to Ani, his voice as greasy as his hair.  "You have spent an awful lot of time with Evans, Hellsing.  We wouldn't want to taint those of pure blood with her ilk."  He sniffed disdainfully then turned down the hall after his compatriots.

In a flurry of movement, James pushed out of Remus' arms and into the hallway.  Framed in the doorway, his wand raised in wrath, his voice shook the glass as he bellowed, "_SEVERUS_!"

Ani shoved to the doorway just in time to see Snape, as well as Bellatrix, Lestrange and Regulus Black turn on heel to face James.  Snape reached for his wand, but James was too fast.  Before any of them could stop him, Peter squealing and Sirius and Remus shouting, James screamed out, "_DIFFINDO!"_  A shriek of horror that must have been Ani's echoed through the train as James' spell collided with Snape's face.  One pallid cheek was ripped apart, blazing red blood gushing instantly down Snape's face.  He collapsed to the floor.

With a wordless roar of rage, Lestrange rushed down the corridor back towards James, wand drawn.  Coming to himself, Sirius shoved past Ani and grabbed James by the back of his robes.  Hauling him bodily into the compartment, Sirius quickly slammed the door shut while Remus shouted, "_Colloportus!"_  The door sealed instantly behind them and the compartment was suddenly eerily silent.

For a few tremulous moments the only sound that could be heard was deep, shaky breathing.  Ani's hands were shaking uncontrollably, her flesh cold.  Her mind seemed a blank.  Wordlessly, she pushed to her feet and glanced through the glass into the hall.  The others must have taken Snape back to their compartment to heal his face.  The corridor was empty.

It was Lily who broke the silence.

Her voice was ragged with unshed tears.  She whirled on James, her face a study of contempt.  "With his back turned, James!" she shouted at him, shooting daggers at the shocked look on his face.  "You tore his bloody face open without so much as a warning!  What kind of monster are you?!"

"_Me?"_ James bellowed, throwing his hands up in disbelief.  "Did you hear what they called you?  Did you see the way that bastard touched Ani?  And you're onto me for giving Snivellus just what he deserved?!"

"You're disgusting, Potter!" Lily cried, and Ani could see that her cheeks were wet.  With a shuddering gasp, she pushed out of the compartment, tears pouring off her face, slamming the door again behind her.

"You've got to be _joking!"_ James shouted in frustration.  He spun and smashed his fist into the wall of the compartment.  "I was _defending you!"_ he hollered after her.  "Oi, Evans!  Can you hear me?  It was his own bloody fault, Lily!  _NOT MINE!"_

Ani opened the door once more when a hand closed around her wrist.  Sirius' face, distorted, peered down at her, his eyes holding hers.  She let out a long sigh.  She wanted to explain for Lily, how her fear and anger and disgust had mingled and come out in an outburst misdirected at James.  But she found she didn't have the strength.  Giving Sirius a weary smile, she exited the compartment and turned down the hall to find Lily.

What a way to start the summer.


	4. The Summer Begins

**Disclaimer:** Sadly, I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters or the world they live in. Anything that does not belong to JK Rowling (characters, plot, concepts, etc), however, is my own work. Please respect my rights to it… or I'll get ya. ;) I have also used The Harry Potter Lexicon for several reference points: I'm having trouble putting in the hyper-link or address, so just go to Google and type in "Harry Potter Lexicon."

**Author's Note:** Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up; I'm still trying to get back into the swing of school.  To amend for the lateness, it's a bit longer.  Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter—like the last one, it's a bit intense, and I'm upping the rating to PG-16 due to some violence in the latter sections.  You've been appropriately warned.

*   *   *

The rays of sun in the kitchen were growing deep when Ani stumbled into the kitchen in her pyjamas, her mass of brown curls tied in a knot atop her head.  Sassy, her brother Rion's huge Irish setter, curled on her bed in the corner, joyfully barked a greeting and dashed over to leap on Ani as she entered the room.  She rubbed the dog's silky ears and grinned up at her father, who sat at the table, a cup of coffee in one hand and the Daily Prophet spread out before him.  "Good to be home," she said to him as she gave Sassy one last pat and settled in at the table.

Cephas Hellsing smiled at his only daughter, who shared his golden eyes.  "Good to have you home," he returned.  "Do you fancy a fry-up?"  He pulled out his wand and, with a flick, produced a plate of steaming sausages, fried tomatoes, poached eggs and hash browns.  A glass of orange juice appeared next to the plate with silverware wrapped in a napkin.  

Ani felt her mouth begin to water uncontrollably as she shook loose the fork and tucked in avidly.  "Ah cahn't wayt untihl Ah cahn use mahik outhide of schkool," she told her dad around a mouthful of food.

Her father chuckled in amusement.  "You'd get even lazier than you are already," he teased her.

A comfortable silence filled the kitchen as Cephas went back to his newspaper and Ani contentedly took in her surroundings.  Her mother both loved to cook and was an incurable packrat, so the cupboards in her kitchen bulged at the seams.  Cookbooks, hastily scribbled recipes as well as cutout recipes from magazines and the like littered the countertops and desk.  The refrigerator was hidden underneath a layer of photographs, both Muggle and magical, so that cheeky, grinning images of Ani and her brothers ran in and out of pictures, mimicking their stationary counterparts.  The heavy scent of cloves and cinnamon mingled with the potent traces of magical herbs that sat sunning on the windowsill.  

Ani had spent her whole live in the same house and never once envied those of her schoolmates who had been around the world.  Their town of Mistford, just outside of Salisbury, was far away from the hustle and bustle of London, but had a healthy enough wizarding population that there were several magical shops and pubs.  All the things Ani loved best were in Mistford: Lily, her family, the park where she and her brothers had idled away their youth.  Her room—a wide expanse under the eaves of the house—was full of mementos and memorabilia, and the walls of the house were full of scars and battle wounds from skirmishes with her brothers.  _No doubt about it,_ Ani thought to herself.  _21 Smythwick Circle is the best place in the world._

She'd just set her fork down and was polishing off the rest of her orange juice when her mother bustled into the kitchen.  "I was wondering when you'd be up, slug-a-bed," Cassie Hellsing said, brushing a brisk kiss over her daughter's hair and scooping up her breakfast plate.  A silky brown curl, peppered with grey, fell into keen blue eyes as she slid the plate into the sink—which had instantly filled itself with steaming, soapy water and set its sponge to cleaning Ani's plate.  Turning back to the table, she gave her daughter an appraising look, folding her arms comfortably over her chest.  "What had you in mind to do today?" she asked.

"Lily, Rion and I wanted to go visit Lynx at the Liondragon's Lair," Ani said, laying her napkin on the table, "since he couldn't come to London to pick me up.  Then we'll probably bum about town for a while.  Anything that you need me to get done before we go?"

"Oho, so she's volunteering now?  Better hold her to it now, Mum, a week from now it'll be over!"

"She's got you for slave labour," Ani shot back, grinning as Rion entered the kitchen and cuffed her once on the jaw.  "What does she need me for?"

"The woman's work," Rion retorted.  "Cooking, cleaning… all that appropriate stuff."

"Orion," Mrs. Hellsing scolded, a warning in her tone.

Rion, three years Ani's senior, winced at his full name and flashed a wide, charismatic smile at their mother.  "Only joking, Mum," he assured her.  Rion differed dramatically from Ani in terms of colouring—having inherited their father's height and sun-touched hair and their mother's sky eyes—but their relation showed strongly in their hawkish Hellsing noses (though Rion's was a bit crooked from a run-in with Lynx when he was seven), deeply set, darkly lashed eyes, moulded cheekbones and clear, honey-toned complexions.  "I've been bored stiff this morning waiting for you," Rion complained.  "Hurry and go get dressed so we can get Lily and leave!"

Ani clucked her tongue and hopped out of her chair.  "Patience is a virtue," she reminded her brother cheekily.  "Let me grab a shower.  I'll _hurry!"_ she said as Rion heaved a great and weary sigh, falling down into the chair next to their father with an air of great finality.  "You can clock me!  Starting now!"  She pushed off at the base of the stairs and flew up to her room.

One shower, a t-shirt and a pair of tattered jeans later, Ani headed back down the stairs.  She was about to open her mouth and carol out to Rion that she was ready—only fifteen minutes and twenty-seven seconds!—when a hitch in her father's voice as it wafted from the kitchen made her pause.  Frowning, she cocked her ear downstairs and listened closely.

"—and then they put it on the second to last bloody page, hoping people like me won't read it and write in demanding a retraction!"  Cephas' low, deep voice had gone harsh with a barely repressed fury.  Ani shivered at her father's tone.  She'd heard him stern and angry by turns, but never anything like this—dismayed and disapproving and angrier than she'd ever known him to be.  There was something else, too.  _Fear,_ Ani realized suddenly.  _He sounds frightened._

"Shhh, Cephas, that's enough," her mother said in a low whisper.  Ani strained to hear her, crouching down on the stairs.  "Rion just went to let Lily in, and the children don't need to hear about this."

"They're going to hear about it sooner or later, Cassie," he insisted, but lowered his voice.  "I'd like to know what kind of idiots they're letting into the Ministry of Magic these days!  Listen to this!

"_A Ministry official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, reports that the committee overseeing the Pureblood Sanctity Act has produced new evidence indicating a general support of the act many are calling a safety measure for the protection of the Wizarding Race.  'The committee believes that by keeping only those of purely Wizarding families in the top echelon of the Ministry and other organizations, including educational facilities, chances of discovery by Muggles will decrease nearly tenfold.  Use of Disillusionment and Muggle Repelling charms would be rendered nearly obsolete unless a large gathering were taking place.'  The theory behind the effectiveness of such an act is such that the fewer ties with the Muggle world, the less harm is likely to come to creatures of magical persuasion._  Cassie, they're talking about keeping children like Lily out of the schools and out of employment by scaring people into believing they're a risk!  It's absurd!  If it weren't for wizards marrying Muggles and having half-and-half children, our kind would have died out long ago!"

"I know, Cephas!" Mrs. Hellsing replied, and Ani could hear the strain on her voice as well.  "It's horrible, I don't disagree!  It's throwing the baby out with the bathwater.  But there's no reason for you to get upset and worry the kids.  Ani's fifteen years old, she doesn't need to be worrying about whether or not her best friend in the world won't be coming back to school with her next term.  And what about Lynx?  You know that Bly—"  Her voice broke off suddenly and when Ani heard it again, the false cheer in it took her aback.  "Well, hello, Lily, honey!  Sit down and have some tea, Ani's just getting ready."

Ani leaned back on the stairs, her mind abuzz.  _Lily banned from Hogwarts?_ she thought, inwardly panicked.  _They can't do that!  If they kick out everyone who's not from a wholly wizarding family, half of the kids from school will be gone!  Lily, Remus, Maggie Brunswick, Lukas van Treble, Elder Thomas!  That's just not fair!_

She pressed her hands hard to her forehead, hoping to still her whirling thoughts, when suddenly Rion stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at her.  For a moment their eyes met and Ani could read the grim look on his face—he'd heard their parents too.  _Let's just hope that Lily didn't,_ Ani thought fervently.  Rion cleared his throat and gave her a significant look, then raised his voice.  "Ani?" he called, as though she were still upstairs.  "C'mon!  Lily's here and I told Lynx we'd stop by sometime before noon."

Giving Rion a grateful look, Ani stood and perched on the stair railing, sliding to the bottom soundlessly.  She forced herself to grin at Lily, who looked considerably better than she had on the train last night, and hoped her friend would not notice and ask why she was upset.  But a lifetime of friendship had not gone to waste.  Lily's green eyes darkened as they studied Ani's face, but thankfully, she said nothing.  "Ready, then?" she said breathily.  Lily nodded as Ani and Rion kissed their mother goodbye.  "We'll be back before supper, Mum!"  As they walked past the table, Ani leaned over and wrapped her father in a tight hug.  "Bye, Dah."

Mr. Hellsing hugged his daughter tight.  "Bye, Ani.  See you later."  He patted Lily on the shoulder as she passed.  "Bye, Lily.  You kids have fun today."

Lily smiled at him, although warily.  "Thanks, Mr. Hellsing.  We will."

The three of them trudged outside, Rion with his hands jammed deep in his pockets, Ani with a cloud over her head she was sure the others could see.  They remained silent until they'd gotten a good distance away from number 21, when Lily pivoted in step and leveled a serious look with Ani and Rion.

"Okay… What the hell was all of that about?"

As they walked towards Lynx's restaurant, Ani and Lily told Rion about the incident with Rodolphus Lestrange and Bellatrix Black and how James had bloodied Severus Snape's face.  As they finished the story, his eyes were hooded.  "Lestrange is about as personable as a boggart," he muttered darkly.  "He likes nothing more than to terrify people and make them miserable."  He put his arm around Lily for a moment and gave her a brotherly squeeze.  "You shouldn't let him get to you, Lil."

Lily sighed and nodded.  "I know I shouldn't… but it's different when he's sneering down at you with those bitter eyes."  She shivered.

Rion gave Ani a sharp look as he released Lily from his hug.  "And you," he said pointedly, suddenly looking much older than just eighteen.  "You'd do well to stay out of Bellatrix Black's way.  There's bad blood in the Blacks, and Bellatrix is a particularly nasty sort."

"Believe me, I've no intention of crossing paths with Bellatrix Black ever again," Ani assured him.  "Trudy Dots—she's a year older than us—got on her bad side once during our third year, do you remember that Lil?  Gryffindor had joint Herbology with the Slytherins and Trudy didn't come out of the greenhouse with everyone else one day.  When we saw her next she had horrible gashes across her back—I remember the blood seeped through her dressing gown when she came back from the showers."  She shuddered, remembering.  "Of course, Trudy wouldn't go to hospital wing, much less tell Madame Pomfrey who did it, so she never got caught.  No, Rion, I know better than to mess with Bellatrix."

"It would probably," Lily added in a tone of voice that made Ani go slightly chill, even in the heat, "be a good idea not to associate with Sirius Black, either."

_Not this again!_

"What's this about Sirius Black?" Rion asked, taken off-guard.  "Have you taken a fancy to him, Ani?"  His sister ignored him.

"For goodness sakes, Ani, I told you not to look at me like that!" Lily said indignantly as Ani glared hard at her.  "This isn't even about what I think about Sirius, it's about being smart.  Bellatrix thinks that Rodolphus fancies you, so she's already got a reason to dislike you.  Stealing her man away and then taking up with her cousin would be the ultimate insult!  Bad enough she think you're a blood traitor—Bellatrix is just the type to take revenge on anyone who wrongs her, in any way.  You know that as well as I do."

"She's right, Ani," Rion said and Ani had a swift, surging desire to conk him hard on the head.  "I don't know Sirius myself but even Dad's said that it's better not to mix with wizards like the Blacks.  They're a bit too power hungry and much too interested in the Dark Arts.  Listen to Lily, Ani, she's right about this."

"I," Ani said stiffly, "will see who I please, whether it's Sirius Black or not—which both of you, in your great wisdom, have forgotten, _it is not._  Now, if you don't mind terribly, I'd like it very much if you both shut up."

To their credit, Rion and Lily didn't say anything else about Sirius or the incident on the train.  On an unspoken agreement they all dropped the subject and by the time they reached the restaurant, they were laughing and talking about a Quidditch match earlier in the term where Lily had taken a spectacular nosedive off her broom.  Main Street, Mistford, was relatively empty for midday—the heat kept the wise indoors—so the three of them slipped into the magical building unnoticed.  

Ani grinned broadly as they walked through the door of the Liondragon's Lair and the roar of a Chinese Fireball (or Liondragon) echoed overhead.   A group of older boys—Hogwarts students who graduated with Rion—caroled greetings to her brother, who waved back.  A tall, dark haired witch sat eating in one corner, a novel propped before her, its enchanted pages turning whenever she requested; every so often, she would glance around surreptitiously and lower a morsel of food into the large pocketbook at her side.  A furry arm would reach out, accept the snack, and quickly lower back in.  Ani glanced at Lily see if she too had noticed: she had.  She and Ani exchanged a look and burst out laughing.  The Liondragon's Lair was never short on interesting customers.

"Ani!" Lynx's voice boomed.  Her grin stretched wider as her eldest brother, taller and broader than both her father and Rion, burst out of the kitchen, what looked like a cup of flour streaked across his face and shirt.  In one spectacular move he hurdled the bar—much to the surprise of the elderly little wizard with the monocle who sat there nursing a cup of tea—and crossed to Ani in three long steps.  He scooped her up in a tight hug and twirled her around as though she were a tiny child, the golden braid that hung down his muscular back swinging.  "Welcome home, darlin'," he greeted her happily, sitting her back down on the ground and looking at her, golden eyes twinkling.  "I missed you."

"I should say so!  I missed you too!" she laughed, stepping aside as Lynx moved to fondly hug Lily and clap Rion on the shoulder, shaking his hand.  "Business looks good," she observed, brushing the flour from her body, her eyes scanning the large, bright room.  Bewitched windows shone with bright sunshine and, every so often, the eatery's huge, winged namesake would sweep through the blue skies.  "Have you got awhile to sit and catch up with your little sister?"

"For you, my dear, there is always time," Lynx said, sweeping her a deep, elegant bow.  He took off his dark red apron and flicked his wand so that it floated across the room and hung itself neatly on a peg.  "Oi!  Chaz!" he shouted back towards the kitchen.  "Send out some fish and chips as soon as you've finished that last order.  Blythe!  Take a break and come and meet Ani and Lily!"

"Out in a minute, Lynx!" an accented, female voice responded.  "Go ahead and sit them down."

Ani's eyes grew wide as Lynx piloted the three of them to a cozy booth next to one of the magical windows.  "Who is _Blythe_?" she asked teasingly, sliding into the booth after Rion and Lily.  

Rion smirked.  "Only the finest witch to cross the pond!" he informed their sister, winking at Lynx.

Lynx laughed, a warm, round, even sound.  "Blythe moved to England from the States at the end of last summer, about the time that Brendan up and quit on me," he informed Ani and Lily.  "She took a room with Mrs. Henderson across the way and saw the sign that I needed a new cook.  She'd been hoping for a chance to bus tables or waitress or something, but as it turns out, she happens to be a spectacular cook.  She came in, asked me for a job."  Lynx leaned back in the booth, grinning at the memory.  "She made me a shepherd's pie to die for and I hired her on the spot."

"Oh sure," Rion laughed.  "You hired her for her shepherd's pie and I'm the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot.  He left out the part about her being a Puddlemere United fan and having legs that would make a man die happy," he added as Lily and Ani laughed.

"That's just the icing on the cake," the female voice they had heard earlier said cheerfully.  The four of them looked up to see a tall young woman about Rion's age with warm, caramel-toned skin and short dark hair tapered to her neck approaching them, balancing a tray of fish and chips in one hand.  "And you were singing quite a different tune last week when I made you that beef stew you said would put your grandmother to shame, Rion my love," Blythe chided with a grin, sliding the tray onto the table.  She gestured to the food.  "Tuck in before it gets cold, kiddos."

"He knows better than to insult your culinary talents, Blythe," Lynx said as she moved into the booth next to him.  He sparked her cheek with a kiss and gestured to his little sister.  "Blythe, meet my little sister, Andromeda, whom Rion and I have told you so much about.  Ani, this is Blythe Ellis, new cook for the Lair and current love of my life."

"Wonderful to finally meet you, Ani," Blythe said in that fantastic American accent, her deep brown eyes warm on Ani's face as they shook hands.

"And this is Lily, our next door neighbor and Ani's best friend," Lynx went on, pointing to the redhead.  "She's the same year as Ani at Hogwarts."

Blythe arched a brow.  "You mean her sister is that lovely hag-in-Muggle's-clothing who glares at us every time we leave your parents house'?" she asked Lynx.

Next to her, Ani could feel Lily stiffen as she nodded shortly.  The want to protect Lily surged inside of Ani as she gave her brother's new girlfriend a sharp glance.  It wasn't the insult to her sister that had struck Lily—in fact, Lily would be the first to admit that Petunia (quite possibly the most anti-witchcraft Muggle in England) was about as pleasant to be around as a sprig of Devil's Snare.  But between the Pureblood Sanctity Act and the episode on the train, Ani knew that Lily was feeling more sensitive than ever about being Muggle-born.  "Yes," Lily said coolly, "that was my sister, Petunia.  And no, she's not a witch."

A companionable smile on her face, Blythe commiserated, "Yeah, Lynx explained to me about her.  Not much on the magic bit, is she?  Neither was my mother.  I'm Muggle-born, too."  Lily blinked, surprised, as Blythe continued.  "My dad was a Muggle, sure as day, but he was also a Mohave medicine man—my teachers at school say that may have been what started it in me."  She snagged a chip from the basket and popped it into her mouth, continuing.  "Never knew him, though; my mother met him in a town called Blythe in California, which is where I got the name.  But yeah, Moms about pitched a fit when we got the owl from Grayson—the only wizarding school in the States.  Screamed that I'd be a freak, that I'd never get married or give her grandchildren.  Yeah, she was pretty ticked.  Anyway, she packed me for school and told me not to come back.  I lived with my grandmother during the summers."

Relaxed now that her parentage wasn't under attack, Lily clucked her tongue sympathetically.  "Petunia's the only one who really got into a snit about it," she admitted.  "Mum and Dad were just thrilled.  They loved the idea of having a witch in the family."

Chomping on fish and chips, Lynx, Blythe and Rion listened to Lily and Ani regale them with tales of the school year.  A questioning look from Rion had earned a shake of the head from Ani; there was no need to worry Lynx with what had happened to the girls on the Hogwarts Express.  The topic was sure to come up soon, though, if things were getting as heated at the Ministry as the Daily Prophet seemed to indicate.  _Let's just let it go for a few more days,_ Ani thought to herself, busying herself with a slice of fish.  _No sense in worrying before it's necessary._

Blythe, wonderfully, soon brought up the subject that cleared everyone's minds.

"So are you planning to ask them or not, Lynx?" Blythe asked, tilting her head up to grin at him.

"I suppose I don't have any choice now, do I, you little hellcat?" Lynx asked with a chuckle, squeezing her shoulders. 

"Ask us what?" Rion said, echoing Ani's thoughts.

Feigning defeat with a roll of his eyes, Lynx leaned forward, looking around the table at the others' expectant faces.  "The International Wizarding Convention is being held in Bath in a few weeks," he explained.  "And since I offer relatively low catering rates, and Dad knows some of the wizards on the organizational committee, I've been asked to provide the food.  I'll have a team of cooks under me and I'm bringing Blythe to help me oversee the process.  While I'm there a reviewer from the Daily Prophet is planning on coming by and doing a write-up of my cooking, so it's a big deal for me."

Ani exclaimed, "That's fantastic, Lynx!"

"Congratulations!" Lily and Rion echoed.

"Thanks.  Anyway," he went on, "an old friend of Blythe's runs a bed-and-breakfast and is willing to give us a few rooms at a relatively good price.  I wanted to have Mum and Dad come away with us, but neither of them can get away from work."  His golden eyes met Ani's and glittered mischievously.  "So I asked them if they'd mind terribly if I brought you and Rion and Lily up with me.  We'll go a few days before the convention starts and stay a few days after it ends, so it'll be about a week in all."  He leaned back and winked at Blythe, who was grinning at the excited looks on the girls' and Rion's faces.  "What do you think, chaps?  Sound like a good way to start the holiday?"

"It sounds _perfect!"_ Lily cheered.  "I've never been to Bath, I've heard it's absolutely gorgeous!"

"Besides, it's a week without parents," Ani added excitedly.  "Blythe, you and Lily and I can all share a room and let the guys have one to themselves!"

"It'll be girls' night every night," Blythe agreed with a laugh.  "We'll watch chick flicks and drool over the dishes on the screen."

Rion rolled his eyes.  "And we can go out to the pubs and leave the ladies to their chick flicks," he offered to his brother.

Lynx grinned.  "So it's settled?" he asked.  "Lily, I've already talked to your Mum, and she says as long as you want to go, it's fine with her."

Grabbing Lily's hand, Ani exclaimed, "Of _course_ she wants to go!  We'll have a blast, Lil!"

"Alright then," Lynx announced, clapping his hands together with great finality.  "We're off to Bath!"

*   *   *

The evening was bleeding into night when a faint sound stirred Sirius out of his half-doze.

For a wonderful moment he thought it was morning and he'd awakened in his four-poster bed back in the Gryffindor tower.  He half expected to roll over on his side and see James in the next bed, his mouth dropped open in sleep as usual.  Class would be starting soon—best hurry down to breakfast.  Remus would probably already have a book open, reviewing the material they all knew he'd already memorized, and Peter would be pestering him, asking what they had to know today.  Sirius almost smiled, thinking it was true.  But all too quickly the sensation passed and his smile faded.  The school year was over, and he was not at Hogwarts.  He was alone in his dark, dreary room back at 12 Grimmauld Place.

Rolling over onto his stomach, Sirius considered trying to fall back asleep.  The night stretched out before him like a detention he felt certain he didn't deserve.  But this time there was no James to keep him company: there was only Regulus, and the thought of having to see his younger brother any time other than at dinner or passing in the halls of the house turned Sirius' stomach.  He wasn't afraid of Regulus—_How could I be?_ Sirius thought wryly.  _The little prat is a good four inches shorter than I am and nearly three stone lighter._  But despite his advantage in age and size, Sirius felt a cold tremor whenever he met his younger brother's eyes.  Regulus had always been a good student, but unlike Sirius, who just happened to be remarkably intelligent, Regulus' motivation was his zeal to become powerful.  He was devoted to their cousin Bellatrix almost to the point of being fanatical, and as far as Sirius was concerned, no good could come of that relationship.

_Scritch._

Sirius frowned and sat up in bed.  The weird noise that had awakened him echoed through the dark room again.  He repressed a shiver and moved to turn on a lamp.  "If I hadn't grown up in this room, I'd never be able to sleep in here," Sirius muttered to himself.  "This house gives even me the creeps."

He was thinking about sneaking down to the kitchen and nicking something to snack on when he heard the strange noise again.  A frown creased his brow; it was coming from out in the hall.  Warily, he picked up his wand and moved for the door.  Ever since he could remember there had been strange and dark creatures slinking around his house.  They usually had the sense to stay in the rooms they'd chosen to hide in—his mother was nasty to cross and was known to jinx anything that crossed her path—but every once in awhile a boggart or a swarm of doxies manage to find its way into Sirius' room.  He'd personally had quite enough of it, and never believed his brother when he claimed he hadn't set it on him.  

Grasping the doorknob in his palm, Sirius steeled his nerves and flung the door open, leaping out into the hall.  Nothing there.

But then a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention.  Turning to look down the hall, Sirius let out a sigh of irritation.  It wasn't a boggart, but it might as well have been, as unpleasant a sight as it was.  His mother's house elf, Kreacher, was slinking slowly down the dark hall towards Sirius, dragging a heavy trunk behind him as he walked.  

He didn't even what to hazard a guess what was in that trunk. Kreacher had been his grandparents' gift to Sirius' mother on her wedding day, and Sirius found it humorous that the gift given to his mother on the "happiest day of her life" was the sourest creature on the planet.  Kreacher had a disposition like spoiled milk.  He worshipped Mrs. Black, simpered after her husband like a sick dog, and catered to Regulus' every whim.  But when it came to Sirius, the dislike was mutual.  Throughout his childhood Sirius had experienced several rather nasty surprises he was certain came from Kreacher's gnarled little hand, including releasing a Pogrebin in Sirius' room (he still had no idea where he'd gotten it).  Still, Kreacher _was_ a house elf, and he couldn't do anything overtly harmful to Sirius.  The most he could do was annoy him—and he made sure to do so on a fairly regular basis.

Sirius leaned against the wall and folded his arms over his chest.  His initial anxiety gone, he now felt the familiar stirring of contempt within him.  "Filching more of my mother's old dressing gowns to have something to sleep in, Kreacher?" he drawled as the creature inched closer and closer.

Bulbous green eyes looked up at him as Kreacher muttered something under his breath.  "What was that, old boy?" Sirius called out, raising his wand threateningly.

"Young master's father says Kreacher is to come wake the worthless boy," Kreacher rasped as he trudged closer.  "Master Black says his useless son is wanted in the drawing room.  Kreacher is thinking that the boy would do well to heed his father—wouldn't want a nasty fall down the stairs like last time."

Sirius went rigid.  He ought to have known that Kreacher was lurking nearby when that had happened.  Last summer, after returning from his escape to the Potters, Sirius had rushed to his room, furious and resentful.  From the base of his stairs, his father had bellowed for him.  After fighting the conditioned response to leap off his bed and race to accept the punishment, Sirius had resisted a whole minute.  Finally deciding to take his lumps, he'd left the room and met his father—in a rage unlike anything Sirius had ever seen—at the top of the stairs.  He remembered very little else—only the storm of his father's face and then blackness—but awoke the next morning with a stiffness in his limbs that suggested mending bones and several bruises that lingered for weeks.

Resisting the urge to swing the house elf back down the hall by his ears, Sirius pushed past Kreacher and headed downstairs, a vague feeling of trepidation filling him.  His marks wouldn't have been delivered yet—it was only the third day of vacation—and Sirius highly doubted that his father, whom he'd not yet seen thanks to Mr. Black's busy work schedule, simply wanted to see how the year had gone.  _Suppose I'll find out soon enough,_ he thought bitterly.  _Best not to drag it out._

The drawing room was filled with heavy, dark-wood furniture with elaborate scrollwork adorning it.  Deep amber-red light flickered on the walls and Alden, on his perch in the corner, watched Sirius enter with knowing eyes.  Sirius always felt as though he'd fallen into some ancient British estate whenever he entered the room.  Heavy wingback chairs, upholstered in leather the uncanny color of blood, littered the room.  Sirius' father, Maurus Black, sat behind his desk, dark head bent as he scanned a sheet of parchment before him.  Sirius pushed a hand over his head, making sure his hair was reasonably tidy, and paused in the doorway, waiting to be acknowledged.  

Mr. Black, distinguished and handsome, his black hair traced with silver, shot a glance to the door where Sirius waited.  His modulated voice rang like a tolling bell as he addressed his son.  "Don't lurk in doorways, boy, like some house elf awaiting orders," he fairly snarled.  "You're a Black; act with some command.  Come in here and stand before me and make your presence known."

"Yes, sir," Sirius said automatically and he hastened into the drawing room.  Inwardly he burned.  _He doesn't want me acting like a house-elf yet I meekly jump when he tells me to,_ he seethed.  _And the kicker is, if I don't, I'm insolent and disobedient.  Of course, of course, it all makes perfect sense._

He clasped his hands behind his back and stood before his father, waiting.  Each second ticked by like a day, and Sirius stood there for so long that he began to wonder if Kreacher had been having him on and his father hadn't sent for him at all.

No such luck.  Apparently satisfied with what he was reading, Mr. Black dipped his quill into a pot of pure black ink and scrawled his signature across the page.  He folded it several times and then dribbled some heated wax into the paper and pressed the Black crest onto it firmly.  He summoned the owl to him, who fluttered over and stuck out his leg obligingly, then disappeared through the open window.  Outside, a storm was brewing.  Inside, Sirius felt one was brewing too.

"Tell me, Sirius," Maurus Black began, his voice low and dangerous.  Sirius felt an alarm trigger somewhere within him.  "What is our family's motto?"

"Sir?" Sirius asked, taken aback.  Whatever he had been expecting, this was not it.

"Are you deaf, boy?" Mr. Black snapped.  "Tell me the Black family motto."

"_Toujours pur," _Sirius said dutifully.  "_Always pure_.  Father, I don't understand—"

"Always pure, yes," his father interrupted.  "You come from a line of the oldest blood, Sirius.  Your forefathers can be traced back to descendants of Merlin.  It is a great honor to be born a Black, Sirius.  You would do well to remember that."

_An honor?_ Sirius thought scathingly, the condescending tone of his father's voice grating at his nerves.  _Being born to a line known for its cruelty and darkness? More like a curse._  Aloud, he said, "I know that, Father.  I have never forgotten it."

Something in his father's face changed, and Sirius had the distinct impression he'd fallen into a trap.  "Haven't you?" he asked, his voice deceptively soft.  "Well then, could you explain to me why you must continually disgrace the name of Black by associating with Mudbloods and blood traitors?"

"James Potter is as pureblood as I am, _Father,"_ Sirius said through clenched teeth.  "And my association with him has no affect my view of my forefathers."

"Quiet!" Maurus growled.  "I am not talking about James.  I am referring to your involvement with Andromeda Hellsing."

"Ani?"  Again, something he hadn't expected.  "I would hardly consider myself involved with her, sir.  She's in my House at school.  And anyway, why does that matter?  Ani's parents are both wizards, and Hellsing is as old a name as Black."

"Cephas Hellsing is a disgrace to his name and his breed."  Sirius' father slurred the name as though it were an obscenity.  "That filth has done nothing but stir trouble inside the Ministry and without.  The Pureblood Sanctity Act—the only protection wizards may have in years to come if senile buffoons like Albus Dumbledore continue to hold sway—has come under nearly constant attack thanks to that man alone."  He pinned his son down with black eyes remarkably similar to Sirius' own.  "You will not, under any circumstances, assort with the girl, do I make myself clear?  The child is as bad as her father.  I will not have you smear our good name for the sake of that little trollop."

"What do you have against Ani?" Sirius demanded.

Sharp eyes pinned him again.  "I beg your pardon?"  Again, his voice had taken on that dangerous quality.

Sirius took a step back.  "I understand your dislike of Ani's father, _sir_," Sirius began again, slowly.  "But my friendship with her does not mean I'm going to turn into a traitor."

His father responded, "There are more appropriate _friendships_ for you to cultivate.  I will say no more on the subject."  He pushed up from his desk and circled, coming over to the far side of the desk where his son stood.  "Which brings me to my next point."  Sirius turned to face his father, standing not two feet away.  "What possessed you, if I might ask, to stand idly by while James Potter attacked Severus Snape?"

"_Snivellus?"_ Sirius asked incredulously.  "That sod?  Is that what this is about?!  Have you gone mad?  You want me to be _friends_ with that waste of flesh?"

Indifferently, Mr. Black raised his hand and lowered it across the cheekbone of his son's face.  White light flashed in Sirius's eyes as the pain exploded.  He swayed, about to stagger backwards, but forced himself to remain upright.  He refused to let his hand twitch to his throbbing cheek.  He wouldn't give him the satisfaction.  Instead he raised his eyes to his father's and leveled a cold gaze with him, his jaw set.  "Watch your tone," Mr. Black said coldly.  "For your information, Sinistrus Snape happens to be a valued member of the Ministry of Magic… one whose support of the Pureblood Sanctity Act would be invaluable.  If you know what is best for you—and for your family—you will follow in your brother Regulus' footsteps and make amends with Sinistrus' son."  He nodded once, as though stating some great truth.  "In fact, you would do well to take on many more of Regulus' traits."

_Regulus._

That must have been it.  His filthy, bleeding, worthless brother had told his father what had happened on the Hogwarts Express.  In the end, that was what it boiled down to.  Not being as good a son as Regulus.

His father spoke again, moving back towards his desk, an air of finality about him.  "You will not be seeing James for the duration of the summer," he informed Sirius crisply as he began to lower himself into his chair once more.  "It would do you better to remain here with your brother and his compatriots, and contemplate on what it means to be a true Black."

Something within Sirius went out.  He felt very cold, suddenly, as though pushed out the door into the rain.  He drew himself up straight and met his father's eyes.  "If being a true Black means I've to give up my friends, associate with the likes of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange and Severus Snape, and turn into a dicksplash like Regulus," he said slowly, watching the pupils of his father's eyes constrict, "I'd rather have a yank* on the family tree.  I find my association with it rather disgusting."

**[A/N: "Have a yank" is slang for "masturbate".]**

Time once again seemed to slow.  His father's path changed: he rose from the desk again, his hand closing around a heavy candlestick.  Sirius focused on the flickering flame in his father's hand as Maurus approached him once more.  A wispy voice echoed within his head, sounding remarkably like the portrait of his great-great-grandfather, Phineas Nigellus.  _Spare the rod and spoil the child._

The candlestick came down and crashed into Sirius's head as he dropped heavily to his knees.  He clenched his teeth, refusing to cry out, a tiny whimper escaping against his will.  Again and again the candlestick fell, striking jawbone and skull and spine and arms as he threw his hands over his head to protect himself.  Sickening, heavy thuds filled the room, mixing only with the laboured breathing of his father and the strange, keening noises Sirius suddenly realized were his own.  He was dying; he was going to die here, alone on the floor, with no one to mourn him.  _The pain!_ he cried out inwardly, his vision receding, going black around the edges.  _Oh, Merlin's bloody ghost, it hurts!_

A heavy foot connected with Sirius' ribs, forcing the air out of his lungs.  One last, mewling cry escaped his lips before he collapsed onto the floor, the sticky blood seeping steadily onto the carpet.  The candle fell onto the ground next to him, sputtered, and went out.

*   *   *

"You foolish boy, don't tell me you were out in that storm!" James's mother laughed as he stumbled into the kitchen, soaking wet, clutching a broomstick in his hand.  MaryAnn Potter put down the book she'd been reading and aimed her wand at him.  It shot a blast of warm air at him, ruffling his black hair.  She glanced at the clock and exclaimed, "Mercy, I didn't even realize what time it was!  What on earth were you doing out on a broom in that storm at ten thirty at night?  You'll catch yourself a death of a cold, James!"

"I wanted to start training for next Quidditch season," James explained, removing his glasses as the warm air fogged them over.  He rubbed them on the hem of his T-shirt and grinned sheepishly at his mother as she gave him a sharp look.  "Now that Randall's left Hogwarts I'm almost positive that Dumbledore will name me captain.  I've got to practice and make up some new tactics, or we'll never win the Cup!"

Mrs. Potter rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in mock futility.  "Forgive me, ye gods, for whatever I did to get such a son!" she said and she and James laughed together.  "I see you ate the supper I set out for you earlier," Mrs. Potter observed, "without cleaning your dishes."

James shrugged, guilt written on his face, and leaned his broom against the doorframe.  "Sorry, Mum," he said.  "I'll do breakfast dishes tomorrow, how's that?"

His mother laughed again, shaking her head.  "You, Mr. Never-Up-Until-Noon?" she asked, ruffling his hair and reaching up to kiss him.  In the year since he'd last been home, James had shot up another inch and a half.  He was quickly gaining on his father, soon to pass him up.  James liked the idea of being taller than his dad.  He'd taken to standing on his toes whenever he was near him; Harold Potter just laughed and swatted at him.

_Hogwarts is a blast and all,_ James thought as his mother set about putting a pot of tea on for the two of them.  _But being home beats all._  He grinned at his mother and felt the familiar glow of her smiling back at him.  _And when the lads get here to go to Bath, it'll be even better._

The smile on his face drooped just a bit.  Remus and Peter were two of his best mates—he couldn't wait to see them.  Being away from them for only three days had still been pretty boring.  But it wouldn't be the same without Sirius.  His father had an old schoolmate in Bath that his parents wanted to go visit, and James and the lads would be tagging along.  It was to be a week of little to no supervision in one of the best cities in England.  _But Remus has that annoying habit of not wanting to get into trouble, _James thought wryly.  _I suppose I can understand—the last major bit of mischief he pulled gave him a monthly problem to deal with for the rest of his life.  And Peter's a good chap and all, but he can be such a prat._  He sighed.  If Sirius were along, James would never have a boring moment in Bath.  He knew it.

As though reading his thoughts, Mrs. Potter set a cup of tea in front of him and asked, "Have you had an owl from Sirius yet?"

James frowned.  "No, not yet," he said, blowing absently on the hot tea.  His mother murmured a cooling spell, stirring his tea with her wand, until it was cool enough for him to sip.  "He usually sends me one just as soon as he gets home, telling me how much he wishes he weren't there.  I'm kind of surprised."  He shrugged.  "He's in London, though, maybe he's found some of the chaps from school and is hanging around with them."  He looked at his mother and admitted, "I'm really chuffed that Remus and Peter will be here in a few weeks, but it won't be the same without Sirius."

"Maybe his father will change his mind and send him down sometime later in the summer," Mrs. Potter suggested comfortingly, patting her son's arm.  "And if he doesn't, maybe you can convince your father to take you into London for the day and call on him then."

"Maybe," James agreed.

They sat sipping their tea for a while longer, and James was about to head up to bed, when a knock echoed through the house.

Mrs. Potter frowned and picked up her wand warily.  "Were you expecting someone, James?" she asked, rising from the table.  "It's a bit late for visitors."

"No," James said, equally confused.  "Mum, don't be silly, let me go.  You don't know who's out there," he said as she started towards the door.

"You're the one who's not allowed to use magic outside of school," Mrs. Potter retorted.

"Fine," James said as the knocking grew more persistent.  "We'll go together."

Feeling slightly apprehensive, James preceded his mother down the narrow hallway that lead to their front door.  He wished fervently that he were older—or, better yet, that his father were still awake.  He thought for a moment of going up to wake him, but decided against it.  James and his mother were the night owls of the family—his dad preferred to be awake by the crack of dawn and was as irritable as a hippogriff when awakened too soon.  _Best to handle this on my own,_ James thought.

He took a breath and pulled open the doorway.  The storm was raging by this point, and on the porch, all James could make out in the darkness was a figure as tall as he and the outline of a trunk at his feet.  He switched on the porch light and watched in shock as the figure before him winced and then met his eyes.

His mother gasped.  "Sirius Black!" she cried out, horrified.  She reached out and grabbed Sirius' arm and pulled him in from the storm.  "James, grab his things.  Sirius, child, what's happened to you?"

"Hi, Mrs. Potter.  James," Sirius said wearily.  His words came out thick from behind swollen, bleeding lips.

James couldn't take his eyes away from his best friend's face.  Two black eyes made his already dark gaze like midnight and nasty purple and green bruises marred his normally clear complexion.  Deep gashes gave the impressions of wrinkles in his face and he looked exhausted, rain plastered and shivering.  James thought fleetingly that Sirius had taken a spill off the broom.  But then he remembered the strange lack of owls and Sirius' comments about his father's temper, and a cold feeling filled his stomach.

Mrs. Potter was leading Sirius into the kitchen, and James found himself numbly following her, Sirius' trunk and broom abandoned in the doorway.  "Sirius, _what happened?"_ Mrs. Potter demanded.  "Do your parents know you're here?  Have you flown here all the way from London?  You fool boy, someone might have seen you!  What on earth were you thinking?"

"Mum, lay off," James said firmly, pulling out a chair and allowing Mrs. Potter to guide Sirius into it.

"I just fell when I was flying up here," Sirius explained.  "I wanted to come see James and so I left, thinking I could get here before it got too late.  But it took longer than I thought and I started to nod off on my broom and crashed into a tree."  He winced as Mrs. Potter tilted his head up to examine his wounds.  She ran her fingers gently through his hair, frowning as she fingered the lumps she found there.  James crossed his arms over his chest, looking Sirius over.  He was certain he was lying, but determined not to say anything in front of his mother.

"You're lucky you didn't break a leg," Mrs. Potter scolded in that way mothers have.  She took a step back and looked over Sirius critically, shaking her head disapprovingly in a way that made James think of Madam Pomfrey.  "I'll run upstairs—I've got some herbs that'll take the swelling down, and then we'll set to work on healing those cuts."  She moved to leave the kitchen and then turned back to face the boys.  "Shall I bring down some parchment so you can send an owl off to your parents, to let them know you've arrived more or less safely?"

There was a long pause, the only sound the pounding of rain and the roaring of the wind outside.  James watched as his mother's face darkened with comprehension.  Her hazel eyes—the eyes she gave to James—filled with tears that she angrily brushed away.  She nodded shortly and said, "Well, I can't send an owl out in this storm… so perhaps we'll just wait until morning."

Sirius nodded.  "Yeah, that's fine.  Thanks, Mrs. Potter."

"I'll be back in a moment with the herbs."

The kitchen was silent as James stood silently over his rain-drenched friend.  There were a thousand things he thought he ought to be saying—a joke to break the tension, a demand for the truth, a sympathetic murmuring.  But his throat seemed to be locked.  He settled instead for crossing the kitchen and crouching down next to Sirius' chair, staying silent, deciding to let him make the first move.

After a moment Sirius met James' eyes and grinned.  James tried to smile back, but it turned into a wince.  Sirius' teeth were bloodstained.  "I couldn't let you go on to Bath without me," he said, attempting lightness.  "What's a holiday without the fourth Marauder?"

James nodded and tried to sound cheerful.  "It'll be a blast, mate."

Silence again.  James wondered vaguely what was keeping his mother until he realized that she'd probably awoken his father and was explaining what had happened.  He was about to go and see where she had gotten to when Sirius spoke again.  This time the words were clearer and his voice shook.  "I couldn't stay, James," he said shakily.  "It wouldn't get any better.  They have Regulus, they don't need me."

"You know you're welcome to stay here as long as you want, Padfoot," James said gravely.  "You don't have to go back.  Mum and Dad will understand."

"Thanks, James."  Sirius rested his elbows on his knees, cradling his head in his hands, revealing more bruises along the base of his neck.  There was another silence as James examined his friend closely.  He felt his hands clench into fists at his sides as he stood and paced around the kitchen, trying to reign in the fury that was building up within him.  _Sirius' father did this,_ he thought, and the thought consumed his mind like flames.  _His own father._

As though hearing his friend's thoughts, Sirius let out a long, shuddering gasp.  His shoulders shook slightly.  James felt something inside begin to hurt.

Unsure of what to say, he put his arm around his friend's shoulders.  Sirius leaned into him.  Neither of them spoke.


	5. What are YOU doing here?

**Disclaimer:** The usual spiel… I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters or (pretty much anything else that you recognize.)  The Hellsing family and Blythe Ellis, however, are my own creations, so please play nicely with them.  Also, I've never been to Bath, so all the places that occur are entirely fabricated (to the best of my knowledge).  I must give mad props to the Harry Potter Lexicon and the Pensieve for some key inspirational points.  I love them… help me prove it by going to visit them.

**Author's Note:** This chapter doesn't have much substance, plot-wise.  It's mostly just a set up for things to come.  Stay tuned and, as usual, please read and review!

*   *   *

"James, have you got a second, mate?"

James glanced up from his copy of _Beating the Bludgers - A Study of Defensive Strategies in Quidditch _to see Remus hovering in the doorway.  "What've I done that we already need to have a serious talk?" he joked, gesturing for Remus to come in, marking his page with one finger.  "You just got here this morning."  He pretended to look confused, ticking items off on his fingers.  "We're not in school, so you can't scold me for not studying… I haven't broken anything, stolen anything, made an ass of or incriminated myself in any way since you've gotten here.  Unless I've been talking to myself again, and in that case, that veela was dead when I got there."

The werewolf shook his head, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth.  "No, there's nothing, you're good to go," he chuckled.  He perched on the edge of James' bed and chewed on the corner of his mouth.  "It's just… well, he hasn't said anything… and if it's not my business, say so, but…"

"You're worrying about Sirius," James observed.

"Yeah," Remus admitted.  "I am."  He pushed his hands through his hair and James half-smiled to see his habit echoed in his friend.  "Don't get me wrong, Prongs; Padfoot is a friend.  And I'm chuffed that he's here and all, but he's just so damn _moody_.  I don't want to open my mouth in front of him for fear that he'll bite my head off or storm out of the room."  He leveled a serious look with James, brown eyes anxious.  "And then there's his story about falling off his broom.  You can't tell me you believe that.  Sirius has never fallen before."

Unwilling to give anything away, James had to look away.  Whatever his suspicions, he had an obligation to Sirius to keep them to himself.  It was his business, no one else's.

_Don't be a prat,_ a voice within chided.  _This is Moony we're talking about.  Sirius is his friend too, and you know he just wants to help._

When Peter and Remus had arrived that morning, James had never been so happy to see them.  In addition to James' mother's constant hovering driving him crazy—"How are you feeling, Sirius?  Let me see those cuts, darling, don't slink away now.  Time to change the dressing.  Well, not as good as a full-fledged healing would have been, but you'll barely have a scar."—Sirius was so sullen, so withdrawn, so unlike himself that James had begun to seriously worry.  When the four of them sat around the dinner table, there seemed to be little wrong.  Sirius grinned at James' father when he told them Quidditch stories over the dinner table and complimented Mrs. Potter on her cooking.  But when they were alone, the story changed.

Though Mrs. Potter had initially given vehement protest, James finally convinced her that some time out and about on a broomstick would do Sirius a turn of good.  At first, he thought it had worked—Sirius's face, still somewhat mangled looking, but considerably better than it had been, had finally seemed to relax as the warm summer air ruffled through his hair.  But as soon as his feet touched ground again, he withdrew again.  James would find him in the spare room in the Potters' upstairs, seemingly asleep on the bed, one arm flung over his eyes.  He always backed silently out of the room before he was detected, leaving Sirius with his thoughts. 

Seeing Sirius in such a state was painful.  _No, be honest with yourself,_ James thought grimly.  _It's bloody unbearable._  He wanted his best friend back, the old roguish, haughty, hilarious Sirius.  He'd said as much to his mother one night when Sirius had turned in early and he had lingered downstairs, hoping to catch a word.  "The most you can do is offer to listen to whatever he has to tell you, sweetling," Mrs. Potter told him, stroking his hair as he looked morosely into his teacup.  "I know you want to be a good friend, and he knows that you want to help."

_Yeah, he knows I want to help, all right,_ James groaned inwardly. But _trying_ to help, on the other hand, wouldn't work… James found that out the hard way.

"Sirius?" he'd ventured one evening.  Much to Mrs. Potter's pleasure, Sirius had volunteered to do the dishes, waving James off when he offered to help.  At first James had acceded, trotting upstairs to pick up his book once more.  But halfway up the stairs, reason caught up to him.  _Now is probably as good a time as any to get him to talk a bit._

"All right, James?" Sirius asked, his back to James as his friend reentered the kitchen.  

James quietly closed the doors to the living room where his parents sat, reading the evening edition of the _Daily Prophet._  He leaned against them and surveyed Sirius closely, his long sleeved T-shirt pushed up above his elbows, scrubbing at a pot.  "Why don't you let the sink take care of that, mate?" he asked.  "That's what it's there for, so you don't have to do dishes and can come start a game of chess with me."

Sirius shrugged, putting a plate on the drying rack.  "I wanted to do them," he said, "to thank your mum for letting me stay here."

"Did you honestly think she'd send you away?" James asked, struggling to keep his voice light.  Again, Sirius shrugged.  James chose his words carefully.  "You're welcome to stay here as long as you want, Sirius.  And we're not just talking about the holiday… You shouldn't have to go back to London."

There was a long moment of silence and James watched his friend carefully.  He could almost feel Sirius' hackles rising, as much as if he'd been in his Animagus form.  When he spoke, his voice carried a terse undertone.  "Don't be an ass, James.  Of course I have to go back to London; that _is_ where I live."  He made a motion as though brushing away a fly.  "I had a row with Father about not being able to come, and so I left.  That first night I got here, well… I was just upset.  No worries, mate.  I'll go back when we return from Bath, take my lumps, and things will go back to normal."

A wave of frustration started to swell within James.  "Things shouldn't _have_ to go back to normal," he insisted.  "Not when 'normal' is your father kicking the shit out of you!"

Sirius whirled and James stood very still as his friend's fiery dark eyes bore into his.  Both were silent.  "You don't know what you're talking about," Sirius said finally, each word measured.  "I told you.  I fell.  Off my broom.  On the way up from London."

"Sirius, this is _me_ you're talking to," James reminded him, moving towards him.  Sirius focused his attention back on the dishes, scrubbing at a plate that was already spotless.  "James, remember?  Your best friend?  I'm not my parents; you can tell me what really happened."

"Don't be an ass, James," Sirius replied stubbornly.  "It's none of your business.  And even if it were, I told you, _I fell off my broom."_

James grabbed Sirius' wrist and spun him around to face him.  Sirius looked up at him, his face very still.  For a moment James felt a tremor of apprehension—he was nearly two inches taller than Sirius, but where he lacked in height, Sirius made up in build.  If he chose to fly at him, James would go down hard.  _Go on,_ that inner voice said again.  _This is Sirius.  He wouldn't ever think to hurt you._  

"It's very much my business," James informed Sirius, voice low but intent, "when you're in trouble."

"Leave it alone, alright?" Sirius ordered, wrenching his arm away.  "Don't play the knight in shining armor, James.  I don't need it."  He stalked out of the kitchen, leaving James—frustrated and worried—alone.

Remus gave James a curious look that brought him tumbling out of his memories.  "James?" he asked warily.

Off-handedly, James muttered, "I'm sure he's fine.  At any rate, he's not said anything to me."

His friend gave him a long look.  "I won't press it," he said softly.  "But I hope he knows that he can trust me… us.  At first I didn't think I could tell you guys about being a werewolf, but in the end, I'm glad I did.  Sirius has helped me a lot—I just want to be able to help him too."

James felt himself deflating.  "I know, Moony," he said, sighing.  "But honestly, he hasn't said anything to me.  I've tried to bring it up, but he just doesn't want to talk about it."

"So you don't believe he fell off the broom either?"

"Of course not," James snorted.  "He's been flying since he could walk.  He wouldn't crash."

"You agree, then, that it was his dad?"  James gave him a sharp look and Remus shrugged guiltily.  "I overheard your parents talking; your mom thinks it was him, but she doesn't want to say anything… for the obvious reasons."

"I guess we can't do anything if he won't talk to us," James said hopelessly.

The two fell silent, each looking glum.  Remus stood and pushed a hand through hair that was beginning to go a bit grey at the temples.  "Maybe a holiday will do him good," he said, trying to lift his voice.  "Hopefully once we get to Bath he'll buck up a bit.  Not much we can do now, right?"

"Right," James said vaguely as Remus drifted out of the room.  "Not much we can do."

But he didn't really believe that.  If there was one thing James Potter refused to do, it was give up.  Especially when it had something to do with his very best friend.  

_Sirius deserves better,_ he resolved inwardly.  _He deserves our help.  After all, he was the one who suggested we help Moony out… we ought to do the same for him._

"It's the perfect plan, James," Sirius had said that night in the common room.  "You heard Professor Yehtee in Defense Against the Dark Arts today!  Werewolves are only hostile towards humans—if we can somehow turn into animals, we can give Remus a bit of company whenever he… well, you know… and there'll be no danger to us."

"We're only in our second year, Sirius!" James reminded him.  "Some full-grown wizards aren't even able to become Animagi."

Sirius had given his trademark, quirked grin.  "We," he said smugly, "are not just any wizards.  We're the best, James.  You know it as well as I do."

"I don't know, Sirius," James said, and he ran his hands through his hair, rumpling the black strands, deep in thought.  "It just seems like an awful lot of work that'll have to go into it, and we're not even sure we'll be able to do it."

"Come on, James," Sirius said coaxingly.  "Can you just imagine the kinds of mischief we could get into if we weren't human?  And no one knew about it?"

James stopped and thought about that for a few moments.  _Free reign of the grounds of Hogwarts, if we play our cards right,_ he thought to himself.  _Free reign._

Sirius, sensing James weakening, said again, "Come on, James.  I just think that Remus deserves to have his friends with him… no one should be alone when they're going through their own personal hell."

And in the end, James had agreed.

_How is it any different now?_ James asked himself suddenly.  _This is Sirius' hell.  He needs his friends to help him._

They were Marauders… and when a Marauder was in trouble, his brothers couldn't let him down.

Determined now, he hopped off the bed and swept off to find Moony and Wormtail.

*   *   *

"Place looks good then, Lil?"

Lily swept into the bedroom designated as the girls' ("We'll give the lads the room with the two beds," Blythe reasoned, "and you girls can share a bed and I'll take the couch") and flopped down on the bed across from where Ani was methodically unpacking.  Lily—used to unpacking unaided by magic—had rushed off to explore the bed-and-breakfast while Ani grumbled about stupid, out of date rules and struggled with refolding her clothes.  

"It's _huge,_ Ani," Lily said breathlessly, sweeping a lock of red hair off her forehead.  _That's an understatement,_ she thought to herself, suppressing a grin.  _It's a maze!  I'd have been lost for hours if I hadn't stopped an asked that portrait of Belinda the Benevolent for directions!_  "The breakfast room is about as big as my upstairs!  Blythe told me that the witches who originally built this house also loved dancing, so there's a huge enchanted ballroom with fairy lights and everything!  It's awesome!  Bit far out of town, but we can always catch a ride with Lynx if we want to go somewhere."

Ani grinned.  "You'll have to show me around when I get done here."

"It's not even that crowded, despite the convention," Lily continued happily, "so Mrs. Reynolds said we could pretty much have free reign.  She said there was only one other family here—a man and woman and their three kids."

"Great," Ani said with a dramatic roll of the eyes.  "Last time we went on a vacation and there were kids in the inn we were staying at, Mum befriended the kids' parents and they went out every night, leaving me and Rion and Lynx to watch the kids.  Those little brats were _monstrous!_  I thought I'd never recover."

"That's the other great thing," Lily assured her.  "There's a whole great expanse of land out behind the house, totally guarded with Repelling charms!  We can stick the kids on broomsticks and let 'em fly around for hours.  No skin off our noses."

Her best friend laughed.  "Great, Lil; until a kid falls off and busts his head!"

Lily gave an airy wave and a scoff.  "Sometimes one has to make sacrifices, Andromeda."

There was a sudden knock and Lynx stuck his head in the door, one hand dramatically covering his eyes.  "Are we all decent?" he asked playfully.

"No, but we're dressed," Ani retorted and Lily laughed.

"Cute," Lynx retorted.  "Come on out and stroll around the grounds with me and Rion.  Blythe's off chatting it up with Mrs. Reynolds and the other guests—a family, didn't catch the name.  She said she'd be along in a bit."

"Sounds great; I'm just finishing," Ani said, throwing a pair of socks triumphantly into the drawer.  "Shall we be off then?"

Bath, Lily decided as she loped down the hill behind the inn with Ani and her brothers, was a little like Heaven.   Oh, sure, Mistford was wonderful, but the further along in school they got, the more Lily found herself homesick for the rolling grounds of Hogwarts: the vast lake, the deep forest, the wide expanse of lawn.  Here she could see nothing but green English hills occasionally dotted with houses.  She, Rion and Lynx strode along happily, teasing Ani as she struggled to keep up on much-shorter legs as they roved the grounds.  Lynx pointed out and named varying types of trees and Lily took deep, cleansing breaths.  This was a holiday long overdue.

They came to a stop by a large fishpond and settled onto the ground, stretching out on the soft grass.  Lily thought the pool was ordinary—that is, non-Magical—until Rion pointed out a Plimpy swimming past, its malleable legs swishing through the water.  She shook her head, laughing.  "I sometimes think I must've been the stupidest child in the world before I found out I was a witch," she admittedly.

"How's that, Lily?" Lynx asked.  He had unbound his long braid and now the strands lay spread out on the grass like a quilt, bright gold against green.  Ani sat absently running her fingers through the mass of it.

"There's magic everywhere," Lily said, extending a hand to indicate the wake the Plimpy left behind.  "_Everywhere._  I don't understand how I never saw it before."  She exchanged amused glances with Ani.  "In fact, I'd also like to know how I lived next door to a Wizarding family for eight years and never noticed a thing even a bit unusual!"

"It was rough keeping it hidden," Lynx informed her.  "Mum and Dad explained to us very early that we were rather special, and that not everyone understood such special things as magic.  So we were to keep it very quiet—of course, going to Muggle school when we were children helped.  I suppose Mum knew what she was doing when she convinced Dad to let us have a taste of both worlds."

"Still," Rion joked, "it wasn't easy, not letting on that we were wizards.  After all, Ani couldn't have been more obvious if we'd had a dragon in the backyard!"

Lily gave Ani a curious look, to which she shrugged sheepishly.  "Well, I never noticed," Lily said with a shrug.

"Ha!" Rion shouted.  "Maybe you were a bit duller than we thought, Lily!"

"You mean to tell me you never noticed how Mum would always tell you that Ani had to clean her room before she could come out to play and it never took her more than two minutes?" Lynx joked. 

Lily smacked herself on the forehead with the palm of her hand.  "I'd almost forgotten," she said, turning to Ani with a grin.  "Mum used to tell me you must not be very messy if you could clean that fast, and told me to be neater.  She never believed me when I told her that your room was always a mess whenever I came over the next day."

The four of them cackled.  Ani's room had been dubbed a permanent disaster area by the rest of the family.

"Mum and Dad were pretty sure you were a witch from the beginning, Lily," Ani informed her friend. 

Lily started.  She'd never heard this story before.  "How did they figure?" she asked incredulously.  "Mum and Dad are as non-Magical as could be, and Petunia was _obviously_ not a witch, as I'm sure your parents could tell."

Rion and Lynx snorted their agreement as Ani went on to explain, a laugh in her tone, "Mum says there were all these little hints—nothing big, of course.  She says that the most obvious incident was when we were playing hide and seek in my backyard and you disappeared for a good minute when hiding behind a tree.  She nearly panicked; she thought she was going to have to tell your mother that she'd lost you."

"I don't even remember that!" Lily exclaimed.  "Why on earth didn't she say anything beforehand?"

"Oh honestly, Lily!" Ani laughed.  "Think about it!"

"What do you think your parents would have done if ours had come up to them and said, 'We think Lily's just smashing.  She's so funny and bright… oh, and it's possible she's a witch'?" Rion asked dryly. 

Lily thought on that for a moment and then chuckled reluctantly.  "They'd have probably moved us as quickly as possible and called in the quacks."

Lynx nodded.  "Exactly.  It was just better to keep an eye on you and hope for the best."

Suddenly, like a lightning bolt, Lily thought of her first night at Hogwarts.  

She and Ani had been holding hands so tightly that when she released her fingers were cramped.  As they took their places in line to be sorted—Linneas Gosford stood between them; Ani had offered him three Sickles if he'd trade places with her, but Professor McGonagall, the stern faced deputy headmistress, had stopped him before he could empty his pockets—Lily had thrown Ani a petrified look as name was called.

_What if I don't get in the same house with her?_ Lily's terrified mind whimpered.  _All the Hellsings have made Gryffindor… the boys said so._  She glanced over at the Gryffindor table where Rion and Lynx sat with their groups of fourth and seventh year friends, respectively.  Lynx waved to her; she timidly waved back.  _What if I don't get in?  What if the Hat won't sort me because I'm Muggle born? Oh, God, what'll I do then?_  She managed a weak smile as McGonagall lowered the Sorting Hat onto her head and clenched her eyes closed.

"Ah, yes, you're very bright, I can see that well," the old, tattered hat whispered into Lily's ear.  "Study hard, do you?  Yes, that will do fine.  Ravenclaw might be your match.  Oh, but what's this here?"  Lily tensed and set every fiber of her being towards Gryffindor.  "Such determination!  And oh, a flash of courage—that will be needed, I'm sure.  And… oh, I see.  Someone awaits you in Gryffindor, do they?"

_Yes,_ Lily whispered back in her mind. _My best friend, Ani._

"Ani, is it?" the hat replied.  "If that's what you think.  You know what's best… looks like you're a GRYFFINDOR!"

The sense of relief Ani felt flood her nearly overwhelmed her.  Rion and Lynx led the cheering as she scurried over to the Gryffindor table.  The next few moments as the hat sorted Linneas were hell as Lily anxiously awaited her friend's Sorting.  When "Hellsing, Andromeda!" echoed through the hall Ani had trotted up to the stool purposely and sent Lily a cheerful wink as the Hat was lowered onto her hair.  It wasted no time in screaming triumphantly "GRYFFINDOR!" and Lily felt herself beaming as Ani joined her at the long table, an identical grin on her face.  

"I knew I'd be here," Ani told Lily, reaching over and squeezing her hand.  "You needed _someone_ to watch out for you!"

Lily chuckled to herself—Ani _had_ watched out for her, but in truth, Lily had been watching out for Ani as well.   They were unstoppable together; Ani spunky, outgoing and cheerful, Lily bright, determined and opinionated.  She grinned at Ani and thought, _Best friends forever._

A yawn escaped from Lynx's lips.  "I'm beat, kids," he announced.  "Up since dawn preparing the car… wish you two could Apparate," he said to Lily and Ani.  "Would've made the trip a hell of a lot easier."

"Don't tell me you didn't like battling Muggle traffic all the way to Bath," Ani teased.

"Spending hours on end with your favourite sister and her best friend?" Lily added, winking.

"Oh yeah," Lynx drawled, sitting up and tugging on one of Ani's curls.  "It was a blast.  I'm gonna head back to the room and kip a bit."

"I'll head on up with you," Rion said, pushing to his feet and hauling his brother to his feet.  "Coming along, girls?"

The two girls exchanged a look and Ani shrugged.  "I think we'll stay out a bit longer," Lily said thoughtfully.  "It's really a nice day."

Rion asked, "Sure you can find your way back to the house?"

Ani rolled her eyes.  "You can see the house on the top of the hill," she said, exasperated.  "We'll be fine.  Go on!  We'll see you later."

They watched Lynx and Rion disappear over the crest of the hill.  "You'd think I was completely incompetent the way they fuss over me," Ani said with a defeated sigh.  She flopped back on the grass, staring up at the sky.  "Sometimes I feel like I'm still five years old with Rion and Lynx having to hold my hand everywhere we went."

"You know it's just because they care," Lily reminded her.

"Yeah," Ani said, a slight grin on her face.  "I know."

They were silent for a moment.  Lily tilted her head back and let the balmy breeze lift her hair away from her neck, closing her eyes peacefully.  For a moment there was nothing but the sound of the breeze and the quiet lapping of water at the pond's edge.  _Heaven._

Next to her, Lily felt Ani suddenly sit up and look around.  She opened one eye to see a frown creasing Ani's brow.  "Did you hear that?" she asked.

"Hear what?" Lily asked, but then she did hear it: the unmistakable murmur of voices.  Male voices.  "It's just the guys walking back to the house," she assured Ani.

Before Ani could reply, the voices echoed again, this time nearer and strangely familiar.

"I _told_ you the house was this way!"  The voice sounded extremely put out.  Lily gave Ani a look and they both giggled.

"Hey, forgive me, the trees all look the same," a second, more indignant, voice replied

"I hope we don't get in trouble for using the four point spell," the third chimed in.  "I mean, the rule does say you can't use magic outside of school unless it's an emergency."

"It'll be an emergency if I don't get some food in my stomach," the first voice exclaimed.  "Besides, no worries; I nicked my Dad's wand."

"Look," a fourth voice called out excitedly.  "There's that pond we passed… we're going the right way.  Hey, who's that?"

Four figures in Muggle t-shirts stumbled out from the trees.  Lily felt her spine turn into steel as she looked upon a very familiar set of hazel eyes, which were looking back at her in undisguised shock.

Ani threw her head back and howled with laughter.  "I can't believe this," she gasped.  "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Might ask you the same question," James Potter asked, unable to take his eyes off of Lily's.

"Merlin save us all," Lily groaned, clapping a hand to her forehead.  "Just what we need on our holiday… The _Marauders!"_

"At least you won't be bored," Remus Lupin said, and gave Ani a bright smile.

"Boredom was the least of my worries," Lily retorted.

_You've got to be kidding!_ she thought fervently.  _James Potter, here?!  What've I done to deserve this?_

She looked to Ani desperately, hoping her friend would catch hold of her anxiety and they could leave.  No such luck.  Ani was happily chatting with Remus and Peter Pettigrew about the sights they'd seen on the way up.  No help there.  Great.

_Perfect,_ Lily moaned inwardly.  _Just perfect._


	6. That Night in the Garden

**Disclaimer: **As always, I do not own the wonderful world of J.K. Rowling—she just lets me play with her characters.  Also as always, anything that does not belong to her belongs to _me_.  Please play nicely with it.

**Author's Note:** I am so sorry for the delay; school has been murderous this semester.  I promise to do better!  A special thanks goes out to Liza for her inquiries!!!  I'll try to at least get up a chapter per weekend from now on… Summer promises to be better!  As for now, we'll see if we can't step up the action a bit.

*   *   *

Sirius had almost made it to the top of the hill, back to the house where he could bury himself in his room in peace.

It was one thing to let James, Remus, Peter and, yes, even Lily see him this way.  Their solemn gazes didn't cause his heart to pang within his chest.  But for Ani to see him battered and beaten, her gold eyes horror filled… that was too much to bear.

He stepped onto the porch that hugged the house, desperate for its deep shade and deeper quiet, when suddenly his path was blocked.  Ani—_How had she made it up to the house so fast?_ he wondered—stood before him, her eyes like pools of torchlight, the curls of chocolate that cascaded about her face casting feathery shadows over her cheeks.  

For a moment he considered brushing past her into the safety of the house, but he didn't have the chance.  

"Ani," he began, his voice hoarse, but she reached up and touched a finger to his lips, silencing him without effort.  Without a word she slid her arms about his waist, a fluid movement so smooth that he hardly even blinked.  Like the day he had first closed his hand around his wand, silver sparks rained down as her skin made contact with his body.  There was magic there.  

Ani took a step and closed the gap between them and her head, just level with his shoulder, nestled into the hollow at his collarbone, her eyelashes dusting his neck.  Against his human will, his arms encircled her, pulling her as close as she could go and still remain in her own body.  The porch seemed to rock beneath his feet as Ani held him close.  The deep, comfortable warmth of her body broke through the desperate, icy chill that had filled him since he'd left London.  This was Heaven.  This was home.  This was where he was meant to be.  He never wanted to leave.

He was about to say so, to open his mouth and speak his heart's wishes.  But then, without warning, she spun away—like a dancer—and her face was lit with laughter.  "Sirius," she called and she rose up, up, up into the strangely starless sky.

He yeaned for her warmth again and tried to follow, but even as he rose into the ink-stained heavens she stayed just out of his reach, twirling about and about, her eyes the only source of light.  Her laughter continued, airy, like a siren's, fading farther and farther away into the abyss.  _Just a little farther,_ he urged himself, chasing Ani through the blackness.  _I can almost touch her hair._

He'd almost, almost, almost enclosed her in his arms, when icy pale hands suddenly claimed her waist.

Rodolphus Lestrange.

Sirius, struck still, strained desperately towards her.  He watched, helpless, as Rodolphus turned Ani to face him.  He banded one arm tight about her waist and tilted her chin up, capturing her eyes with his own.  Rodolphus reached up and twined his fingers through the dragon's tooth necklace that lay over her pulse point.  Her name caught somewhere deep in Sirius' throat.  

Terror was just dawning on Ani's face as Rodolphus ripped the necklace from her throat, sending her spiraling away into blackness.  She didn't even have time to scream.

But Sirius did.  He screamed, and screamed, and screamed until he felt his soul would shatter.

Rodolphus turned and suddenly it was no longer the tall, handsome boy that stood before him but a face much more familiar.

_Regulus._

"It had to happen sometime, you understand."  His brother spoke in a voice that was not his own.  It was higher.  Colder.  "In the end, it will happen to all those you love.  Better come to terms with it now.  It won't be so much of a surprise in the end."

He'd stopped listening.  He'd blocked it out.  He'd turned away.  All he knew, all he needed, was to reach Ani.  

He dove into the starless void.  Falling, falling, forever falling.  But the farther he fell, the farther his heart sank.  She was gone, gone forever, out of his reach… without a kiss, without an embrace, without even a goodbye.

*   *   *

Three thirty nine.

Ani's sleep had been fitful and sporadic, filled with strange dreams.  _Something about my necklace, _Ani thought.  _And falling through the sky.  And someone calling out to me…_

Weary, she propped her head up on one elbow and glanced at the clock.  Sure enough, the night had almost ended.  _Perfect,_ she groaned inwardly.  _Who needs sleep?_

She glanced around the room with her night-sensitive eyes.  Blythe coughed in her sleep and flopped over on the couch-bed.  From across the room Ani could see one long, honey-toned leg draped over the edge, out from underneath the blankets.  In the bed next to Ani, Lily's ivory face was half obscured by a ripple of red hair that was steadily taking over the pillow.  From outside the window, Ani could hear the low call of young owls.  

With a grunt and a sigh, she rolled over again.  She missed Ghost.  Earlier in the evening, she and Rion had borrowed the Reynolds' young brown owl, Caro, to send a letter to their parents and it had taken them ten minutes to get the bird to hold still long enough to tie the money-pouch to her leg.  The stupid fickle thing.  Ghost would never have been so difficult.

Exhausted and irritable, Ani finally gave up her repeated attempts at slumber and slipped out of her bed.  She instinctively grabbed her wand and wound her hair into a knot on the top of her head, shoving the wand through the center.  Careful not to wake Lily or Blythe, she wrapped herself in a housecoat and slipped out the door.

A friendly portrait in the upstairs hall of a young, auburn haired wizard with a crooked nose—who seemed somehow familiar, though Ani couldn't place him—told Ani in a low voice that the rose gardens were especially lovely in the moonlight.  Her father had always kept a garden in the backyard, and Ani loved roses, so with a wave she set off down the stairs.  The sliver of moon riding low in the sky gave little light, so Ani took careful steps as she stepped off the porch and into the grass carpet.

The air was soft and calm and stars twinkled overhead, but Ani couldn't even appreciate the night's beauty.  Her mind was somewhere else entirely.  Despite all her effort to the contrary, Ani's mind was with Sirius Black.

He'd pulled away from the group and walked back to the house when Ani and Lily had encountered the Marauders' by the pond, but not before Ani had gotten a good, long look at his face.  It had haunted her for the rest of the day and, by association, was probably the reason she hadn't been able to sleep.  At first she thought he'd gotten into a fight; Sirius had never been known for his even temper, as Lily had pointed out when Ani had voiced her concerns.  "But that doesn't make any sense," Ani said aloud, watching a lone bat as it glided past overhead.  "James said they'd been together all holiday, and he doesn't have a scratch!"

When the others noticed that Sirius had left, they all followed him up towards the house, and Ani had taken the opportunity to ask James what had happened.

James Potter had never been shy, but when Ani asked him about Sirius, he'd ducked his head and became seemingly engrossed with the blades of grass beneath his feet.  He'd muttered something about Sirius falling off a broomstick on the way to London, but when Ani relayed the conversation to Lily, her best friend had frowned.  "You don't honestly believe that, do you?" Lily said skeptically.  "Sirius can fly better than I can—and if he _had_ fallen, do you honestly think he'd admit it?"

No.  He wouldn't have.

As she mused over it, the heady scent of roses caught her attention.  _The gardens must be just up ahead,_ Ani thought.  She picked up her pace as a low rock wall came into view, a pavilion rising up from the center of the circular garden.  Riotous blossoms, still beautiful in the night, spilled over the walls.  _That portrait was right,_ she decided, instantly delighted.  _These flowers are beautiful._

She'd almost reached the garden and was just about to brush through a bush of clinging Compassion roses when a motion among the flowers caught her eye.  Ani gasped; someone else was there!  She fumbled in her hair for her wand and yanked it out of her bun, her hair falling over her face.  Pointing the wand at the intruder, Ani, voice trembling, shouted, "_Lumos!"_

The light spilled over the other's face, and he squinted at the sudden brightness.  "Ani?" he asked.

Relief flooded her body.  "Remus," she breathed.  Shakily she lowered her wand.  "What are you doing here?"

Remus smiled wryly, and lowered his own wand in return.  "I might ask you the same thing," he said.  He lowered himself onto a stone bench and gestured for Ani to join him.  "I was up and got directed here by a rather chatty portrait. What are _you_ doing here?"

"I couldn't at all sleep," Ani told him, tucking one leg under her as she settled down next to him.  "Weird nightmares and everything.  But I must have run into the same portrait as you."

"I was sleeping just fine, " he told her wryly.  "Sirius, on the other hand, kept thrashing and talking in his sleep.  Woke me up.  James, too, apparently, as he's sleeping in the bathtub now."

"Is he alright?  Sirius, I mean."

Her friend shrugged.  "Been a bit off since we've gotten to James', actually… I think he got pretty shaken up after that fall off his broom.  But I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," he assured her.

Ani frowned.  Remus was sticking with the broom story as well.  _I know he's lying,_ she thought, _but I'll never be able to prove it._

Diplomatically, Ani changed the subject.  "How have you been spending your summer?" Ani asked.  She trailed her hand over the blossoms behind the bench, tracing the edges of the petals with her fingertips.

"More of the same," Remus admitted.  "Going over books, teaching my little brother some charms.  He's little, but he's quick!"

She smiled.  "I didn't know you had a brother."

Remus nodded proudly.  "Remiel, but we call him Remmy.  He's only eight, but I'm trying to get him a head start on some things."

"That's really sweet of you," Ani replied.

Their conversation turned to their families—Remus told Ani more about Remiel and she told him about Lynx and Rion—and Hogwarts and before Ani knew it, the first silver rays of dawn were streaking across the sky.  "Wow," she said as she pointed them out to Remus.  "It's already morning."

"We should probably head back up to the house," Remus said, standing and stretching, then pulling Ani to her feet.  "Mr. and Mrs. Potter are Apparating out to town this morning and I'm willing to bet that she'll check on us before she goes."

She chuckled as they left the stone garden.  Remus had yet to let go of her hand, and his warmth was welcome.  "She sounds like she's pretty protective," she commented.

The grin Remus gave her was as affectionate as if Mrs. Potter had been his own mother.  "She is," he admitted.  "But with a son like James, can you blame her?"

"No," Ani laughed.  "No I can't."

They trudged up the hill in companionable quiet, hands still clasped.  The windows of the house were still dark against the lightening sky, and Ani breathed a sigh of relief.  After a night of no sleep, a lecture from Lynx was not something she anticipated.

She was about to make a joke to a similar effect to Remus, but when she glanced up at him, a frown had darkened his features.  "What is it?" she asked him.

"There's something in front of the porch," Remus said, pointing.  

Sure enough, a huddled shadow lay in the walkway.  "Weird," Ani said.  "I can't tell what it is."

"Well, let's go look," Remus said.

As they drew closer, Ani's flesh began to creep.  The tepid morning air now had a chill in it, and the tiny hairs on the back of her neck stood on edge.  Something was wrong.  Dark.  She shivered and Remus gave her a sharp look.  "Do you feel it too?" he asked.  

"Yes," she whispered.  "What is it?"

Gripping hands tighter, they slowly approached the shadow in the path.  They came within inches of it, and Ani drew in a sudden, horrified gasp.

Caro, the Reynolds' owl, lay with her wings bent and her head lolling.  Dark, sticky blood matted her feathers, and the letter tied around her foot—with Ani's handwriting scrawled across it—was shredded.

His face like stone, Remus bent and lifted the lifeless owl from the ground.  He turned to face Ani, and his eyes were hard.  "She was attacked," he spat, his voice filled with pain for the innocent dead.  "And not by an animal.  These cuts are too clean."

"You're right," Ani said, her voice hoarse.  "But who would do something like this?"

"I don't know," Remus replied.  "And I don't want to find out."

*   *   *

Sirius woke after what seemed ages of unfinished dreams when the sound of rushing feet pounded through the hall.

He sat upright in bed and met James' eyes as he exited the bathroom, a pillow under his arm.  "What's going on?" James asked wearily.  He threw the pillow back onto the bed where Peter, his mouth lolling open, slept on.  "And where's Remus?"

"Don't know," Sirius replied, pushing out of bed.  He smoothed the wrinkles out of his silver pyjamas.  "I just woke up."

More pounding feet, Sirius and James exchanged looks.  "Come on," James ordered, and threw a robe to Sirius.  "Let's go see what's going on."

Hastily pulling on their robes and putting on slippers, James and Sirius slipped out of their room, uncertain as to whether the Potters were sleeping or had already left.  A light from downstairs illuminated the steps as they padded down them, quiet so as not to draw attention to themselves.  The murmuring of voices filled the air and as they reached the bottom of the steps, a tall young man with bright blond curls exited a small drawing room off to the right.  One look told Sirius that this was obviously a Hellsing.  "You must be the others?" he asked when he saw the two Marauders.  "Remus' friends?"

"Is he alright?" James asked, apprehension thick in his voice.  

"He's fine," Ani's brother said shortly.  "Just a bit shaken up."

Confused now more than ever, Sirius and James crossed to the room where the young man stood and followed him inside.

The sight that greeted him brought a cold pit into Sirius' stomach.  Ani, obviously distraught, sat huddled in a chair, a cup of tea forgotten at her side.  Her golden eyes were shuttered, haunted, staring unfocused somewhere across the room.  Remus and another young man—this one with cascades of hair falling down his back, but the same Hellsing nose—stood over her, their brows knitted with worry, and Sirius' flesh grew cold at the sight of the werewolf's hands.  They were spattered with blood.  

_Is it a full moon?_ Sirius inwardly panicked, his heart beginning to race.  _It can't be!  What happened?  Did Remus attack Ani?_  A glance at James confirmed that his thoughts were similar.  Stunned and heedless to what he did, Sirius strode across the room and knelt before Ani, worried eyes scanning her for claw and bite marks.  He reached up and pushed her hair away from her neck, feeling a sliver of relief at the sight of her unmarked flesh.  "Ani," he said, his voice shaking.  She looked at him, her eyes still blank, and Sirius gently touched her shoulder.  "Are you okay?"

She blinked and seemed to come back to herself.  "I'm fine," she said, but as she spoke her hands trembled.  Sirius noticed a folded, slashed piece of parchment clenched in her fist.  "Really, I am… I just… I can't believe it."

Sirius glanced up at Remus, hoping for an explanation.  His friend, who looked ages older than he had the day before, tilted his head to indicate the source of Ani's distress.  Mrs. Reynolds, in a pink housedress and her steel colored hair in rollers, held a dead owl in her arms, cradling it like a baby, grief written on her face.  Mr. Reynolds knelt before her, inspecting the owl, his face full of harsh lines.

Ani glanced up at Sirius and said, attempting to calm her voice, "Sirius, James, these are my brothers, Rion and Lynx.  Lynx, Rion, James and Sirius are in Gryffindor with Remus, Lily and me."

Hands were shaken and Sirius thought it seemed somehow absurd that they were making introductions when Remus still had blood on his hands. 

"What were you two doing out in the gardens?" the oldest Hellsing, Lynx, asked Remus and Ani.  

"I couldn't sleep, so I went outside," Ani said quietly.  She glanced up at Remus.  "I saw Remus out in the gardens.  We were just talking."

"I left the house at two, and it was almost four by the time Ani got there," Remus explained.  "And neither of us saw Caro when we were walking out.  But I didn't see or hear anyone else in the yard before we went up there… There was no noise, no broomstick, nothing.  I don't understand how it could have happened without us noticing."

"Well, she weren't attacked with a wand," said grey-haired Mr. Reynolds, pushing to his feet.  He pressed his wife's arm sorrowfully and, with his own wand, summoned a small, owl-sized box.  She stood and gently placed Caro in the box and sat back down, saying nothing.  "This were some kind of Muggle weapon."

Ani's eyes narrowed.  "But you told Lily that the grounds are Repelled, so Muggles can't get in.  And even if they could, who would want to kill an owl?"

Mr. Reynolds nodded grimly.  "They _are_ Repelled; we renew 'em every two weeks, just to be safe," he informed Ani.  "This were a wizard, sure as I am."  He turned to Rion and asked, "About what time did you two send Caro out?"

Rion and Ani exchanged a look.  "It was early," Rion said, biting his lip.  "Maybe eight or nine last evening, right Ani?"

"Right," Ani said, voice low.  "Really early."

"She hasn't been dead that long," Remus spoke up.  Everyone in the room turned to look at him as he focused on the box on the table where Caro's body lay.  "She was still warm when I picked her up… too warm to have been dead for eight or more hours."  He and Ani locked eyes as he said slowly, "That means she was intercepted far away and brought back.  Someone wanted you to see this, Ani."

"What all did you say in that letter, Ani?" Lynx asked, putting a hand on his little sister's hair.

For the first time, Ani's eyes began to fill up with tears, and Sirius clenched his fists.  "Nothing," she said, a slight tremor to her voice.  "We told Mum and Dad that we'd arrived safely, and that some of my friends from school were here.  That's all."

The room was silent as one thought weighed heavily on everyone's mind: who would want to stop Ani's letter?

"My guess," Rion finally said, attempting at lightness, "is that this was just some nasty joke.  They probably just Banished the owl back to where she came from… that would explain why you didn't hear anyone.  No one's fault, especially not yours, Ani."

"Why don't you try to go back and get some sleep," Mrs. Reynolds finally suggested.  Her voice was weary.  "There's nothing we can do about this now, and in a few hours, I'll have a nice breakfast ready for all of you."

"Good idea, ma'am," Lynx said firmly.  He hooked an arm around Ani's shoulders as she stood, Sirius backing out of their way.  "Come on up to bed, darling, you're exhausted."  He nodded to the lads and the Reynolds and steered his sister out of the room, back up the stairs.

Mrs. Reynolds, seeming more composed, suggested, "Go on back upstairs, my boys.  Careful not to wake your parents, aye?  There's no reason."

James, who had been unusually quiet, replied, "Sure thing, Mrs. Reynolds."  He nudged Sirius and left the room.

His head swimming, and any hope of sleep long gone, Sirius turned and trudged back towards the room.  _Who would want to scare Ani like that?_ he asked inwardly, pausing on the first step.  _And why would they shred a letter of no importance?_

Nothing made sense.

Suddenly, a hand landed atop Sirius' own that lay resting on the banister.  Surprised, Sirius glanced down and instantly winced.  The bloodspots stood out against Remus' tanned fingers like a scream piercing silence.

He turned to look into his friend's face.  A sadness that Sirius couldn't place shone out of Remus' eyes.  "Sirius," his friend began.  "I hope you know that I would never hurt Ani… accidentally or otherwise."

"Remus, I—" Sirius began, but too late.  Remus moved past him and wound up the rest of the stairs, lines of weariness and sadness in his back.

*   *   *

Ani slammed her fork down on her plate and everyone in the room looked up.  "It just doesn't make any sense!"

Lily sighed.  She'd woken up early to find Ani sitting in an armchair by the wall, staring without seeing out the bright window.  Blythe and Lynx had gone to downtown Bath to discuss the finer points of the serving for the convention, since the arena in which the convention was being held didn't have nearly enough house elves to do the job, and so the girls were alone in their room.  Mechanically, Ani had told Lily everything, from the garden with Remus to the conversation in the Reynolds' drawing room.  

They'd spent the better part of the early morning discussing it, and Lily had thought she'd at least given her friend a little comfort.  But Ani had been quiet and withdrawn ever since they'd met Rion and gone down to breakfast, where the Marauders were already seated, grim of face.

She was about to open her mouth to say something when James interrupted.  "I think your brother is probably right, Ani," he said, and Lily felt vaguely surprised at the gentleness in his voice.  He glanced over at Rion, who sat next on Lily's other side; a flutter rose up in her stomach at the sight of the flecks of green in his hazel eyes, but she pursed her lips and forced it away.  "It was probably just someone playing a really terrible joke.  You can't beat yourself up about it."

"Can't I?" Ani asked heavily, picking up her fork once more.

"Think about it, James," Remus said.  He took a sip from his goblet of pumpkin juice, and Lily was uncannily reminded of their professors wetting their throats before lecture.  "Ani and Rion sent that owl out at nine o'clock, at the very latest.  We found that bird at five thirty in the morning, just barely dead.  How long does it take for a post owl to get from Bath to Salisbury?"

"Probably about that long, maybe an hour or so less," Rion mused.  "Especially at night, since they have to hunt."

"Are you saying that someone attacked Caro in Mistford?" Lily asked incredulously.  

Remus shrugged.  "If not in town then somewhere nearby," he said.  He tapped a fork against his goblet, deep in thought.  "I could almost tell you exactly when, and probably where, if I gave it a bit more thought."  He glanced at Ani and shrugged, helpless.  "But I still can't tell you why."

Around a mouthful of bacon, Peter mumbled, "Maybe it's not about you, Ani, maybe it's your parents.  It'd make more sense if the owl was killed near your house."

Sirius, who hadn't said anything the entire time, snapped, "I thought we agreed it was just a prank.  No one's after Ani orher family.  It was just a stupid prank!"

Before she could stop herself, Lily realized she was nodding.  "Sirius is right," she said, surprised that the words had come from her own mouth.  "It's just a prank.  A terrible one, but a prank nonetheless.  Some people are just sick, they'll do anything to get a reaction."  She turned to Ani and said sternly, "So you need to stop worrying about it."

"You're probably right," Ani muttered, looking back down at her plate.  "It's probably nothing."

James and Lily caught eyes across the table.  "Do you really think that?" he mouthed, and his eyes were skeptical.

With a shrug, Lily schooled her eyes to her plate.  _I don't know what to think,_ she said inwardly, forking a bite of biscuit into her mouth. _But Remus is right.  The owl must have been just outside of Mistford when she was killed.  And that means someone went through the trouble of bringing her back here.  Which means someone, for some reason, wanted Ani or the Reynolds to see her._

But Remus' question still remained unanswered.

Why?


	7. The Werewolf

**Disclaimer:** These lovely characters belong to J.K. Rowling.  She simply lets us play with them, and we love her for it.  Any characters you don't recognize, however, are my own, and please respect that.  

**Author's Note:** Weekend visit from the beau, so I already went back on my promise.  We'll see if I can't make up for it, okay?  Also, I have a bit of a readership survey to present to you.  I'm thinking of making this into the first of a trilogy.  The second two would be vaguely AU, but I would try to keep as much to J.K. Rowling's plot as possible.  But do let me know what you think of the idea.  As always, reviews are welcome.  Today's chapter is mostly Remus: enjoy!

*   *   *

"He didn't mean anything by it, Moony."

Remus glanced up from the plateful of Chocolate Frogs in the window of the sweet shop in downtown Bath.  James, shifting his weight from foot to foot, stood over him.  "What're you talking about?" Remus asked, attempting lightness.  He jingled the change in the constrictive pockets in his Muggle jeans.  "Want some Frogs?  I've got just enough."

James shook his head and held up a bag that was rustling suspiciously in his hand.  "I've got enough here."

He shrugged.  "Suit yourself."  He filled his hands with the brightly wrapped chocolates and shuffled over to the counter where a sweet-faced witch with salt-and-pepper hair rang up his charge.  "So what're you rambling on about, Prongs?" he asked as the two of them left the store, the smell of chocolate and licorice replaced by the scent of hot dust on cobblestones.

"You know what I'm talking about," James said hotly, but then lowered his voice as a group of school-aged witches, giggling, passed by them.  "I'm talking about what happened to Ani the other night… with Sirius…"

"Oh?" Remus said.  He attempted to keep his tone light, but at the very last moment his voice caught.  He coughed, hoping for cover, but James' eyes grew knowing.  _Merlin's ghost,_ Remus swore inwardly.  _I'd hoped we wouldn't have to deal with this today.  I should have known better when James told Sirius and Peter to go off on their own today._

Remus knew that Sirius hadn't meant anything that night.  They were best friends, and Remus knew that Sirius—though he might be haughty and arrogant in turns—would never say or do anything intentionally hurtful towards Remus.

But even knowing that didn't erase the icy hand that had clutched around his stomach when Sirius rushed to Ani, panic all over his face.  He'd watched, cold inside, as Sirius looked over Ani for wounds—wounds, he knew, that Sirius thought had come from a werewolf's fangs.  The realization stung.  It didn't matter that it wasn't a full moon—the Lupins had made sure that their eldest son would return in time to avoid incident—or that, if Remus _had_ attacked Ani, she would never have survived.  Sirius had automatically assumed the worst.  And it hurt more than Remus was willing to admit.  It had brought back memories that had haunted Remus throughout the rest of the wee hours of the morning.

*   *   *

"Remus, darling," Sasha Lupin called into the backyard.  "It's getting late.  Bring your brother in for his bath and start getting… ready."

Twelve-year-old Remus Lupin sighed heavily.  On the one hand, he'd been feeling weaker than ever today—thanks to the moon phase, of course—and playing with his brother had almost worn him out.  But on the other hand, the tension in his mother's voice when she bade him to get ready threatened to drive him mad every time he heard it.

_She means well,_ he reminded himself for the ten thousandth time in the past six years, _and it's for the best._  Putting on a smile, he leaned out of the window of the tree house his father had built in the huge ash in their backyard.  "Down in a minute, Mum!" he caroled.  Climbing back inside, he knelt down before a smaller, rounder version of himself and reached out to ruffle the silky golden-brown hair.  "Ready to go in mate?" he said cheerfully.  "Want to ride on my back?"

Cherub-faced Remiel David Lupin, age five, flashed pearly white teeth at his older brother in a grin.  "Yeah!" he shouted and shrieked with laughter as Remus swung him up onto his back and snaked down the rope ladder.  Remmy gripped tightly onto Remus' shoulders as he swerved across the yard, dodging toys and flowerbeds as Remmy laughed hysterically.  "Faster, Remus!" he called out.  "Faster!"

"Not too fast, loves, or you'll knock your old mother over!" Sasha laughed as her sons galloped through the backdoor.  Remus made a dramatic screeching noise as he skidded to a stop on the ancient wooden floors and grinned at his mother as she plucked the youngest Lupin off of his shoulders.  "Look at you," the boys' mother pretended to scold.  "Knees black as night, nails as grubby as a niffler's!  What will I do with you?"

"No bath tonight, Mum," Remmy pleaded.  "Remus promised he'd tell me another story about the Ghoul's Forest and the werewolves!"

Mrs. Lupin shot her eldest son a sharp look and Remus twitched under the scrutiny of her bright blue eyes.  _Way to go, Rem,_ he thought wearily.  This would mean another lecture, and Remus had learned the speech by heart at this point.

"It's just safer this way," John Lupin said resolutely the night his wife bore him their second son.  "When he's older, we can tell him… when we know he can keep his tongue.  Until that point, it just isn't wise."  To the then seven-year-old Remus, he said, "We can't let your brother know about your problem, son.  Just until he's old enough.  He might tell someone else, and we can't let that happen.  They might take you away from us, or worse.  So for now, it will be our family secret.  Okay?"

Remus didn't like it, but he'd understood.  And until this past school year, when he confessed the secret to his fellow Marauders—who were now on a quest to join him whenever he changed—he'd kept the secret from almost everyone in the world.  It wasn't hard; the older Remus grew, the more he was able to research his kind, and what he found was no good.  The Daily Prophet, which was delivered to their doorstep in time for his father's morning coffee each day, sometimes had articles about villagers who reported savage werewolves attacking and dragging young children into the woods to feed.  Remus shuttered as he read these reports; what if someday that were him?  

That could never happen.

As far as Remus knew, besides his family and the Marauders, only two other people knew about his lycanthropy.  Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall knew the truth, and to this day, Remus wondered how they'd found out.  For it certainly hadn't been by his or his parents' hands.  But in the end, it had worked out.  Dumbledore had made accommodations for Remus' transformations and the secret had remained safe.

"What's this I hear about no baths?"

"Daddy!" Remmy chirped and Remus grinned as his father rumpled up his hair as he came into the kitchen.  

"You'll start growing cabbages behind your ears if you don't take a bath, Remmy m'boy," Mr. Lupin informed his youngest gravely.

Remmy screwed up his face.  "Yeeech!" he grimaced and the family laughed.  Even at five, Remiel had already formed very definite opinions about which foods he found acceptable.

The boys' father kissed Remmy on the forehead.  "Go on upstairs with your mum, chap, and take your bath," he instructed the little boy.

"I want to play with Remus!" Remmy insisted obstinately.  "He said he'd tell me a story!"

"About _werewolves,_ John," Sasha said, a current of tension in her voice.

Remus stiffened as his father gave him a significant look.  "We'll have to wait 'til tomorrow for a story, big guy," Mr. Lupin told Remmy firmly.  "You need a bath and Remus has to get some sleep.  Alright?" 

The little boy drooped.  "Okay."

"Good lad."  Mr. Lupin put a hand on Remus' shoulder and squeezed. "As for you, it's off to bed.  Come on up, and I'll help you get ready.  Tell your brother goodnight, Remus."

"G'night, squirt," Remus said, tweaking one fat cheek of his little brother's face.  Remmy waved as Mrs. Lupin carried him off for a bath.

So began what would become one of the longest nights of Remus' life.

"What's this I hear about you telling your brother about werewolves?" Remus' father asked as they slowly descended the stairs.

He shrugged uncomfortably.  "He asks me to tell him stories, so I just make some up for him," Remus replied, his eyes focused on the stairs as they creaked under his feet.  "Not every night, just sometimes."

Mr. Lupin nodded and Remus felt a brief sliver of relief.  Maybe he'd get off the hook for this.  But Mr. Lupin sighed and the relief fled from Remus' chest.  "But about werewolves, son?" he asked, grim of face.  Remus hazarded a glance up at him; the poor lighting in the hallway leading to the cellar cast craggy shadows over his face.  "You know we can't talk about that around your brother."

"He's going to have to figure it out sometime, Dad," Remus said.  He shuffled his feet as they approached the large, dark door in the corner of the cellar.  A shiver ran through his body.  "I just thought that maybe if I told him some stories—you know, where the werewolves weren't all that bad—it wouldn't be such a shock when he did find out.  And he might feel a little better about it."

Father and son paused outside of the room to which the dark door lead and again Remus chanced to look upon his father's face.  It was full of lines and suddenly seemed very old.  When he spoke again, John Lupin's voice was low and gentle.  "I understand what you're trying to do, Remus," he said quietly.  "But for now—for _your_ sake—we need to keep this quiet.  Even to your brother.  He's just too young; he might tell someone else."  He squeezed his son's shoulders at the dismayed look on Remus' face.  "I know it's rough, old boy, and you're doing great.  It's just for a while longer.  Okay?"

Remus nodded heavily.  "Okay."

"Good lad."  Mr. Lupin pushed open the door and Remus took a deep breath as he looked into the large dark room.  A ripped up tangle of blankets lay dormant in one corner.  The scent of musk and fur caught Remus' nostrils.  "Good night, son, I'll come down bright and early with some breakfast for you."

"Don't bother," Remus replied.  "I'm never hungry in the morning anyway."  He glanced down at his father's hand and saw him gripping a wand.  A ripple of embarrassment went through him.  "Dad, you don't have to seal me in, you know," Remus said wearily.

Mr. Lupin had the grace to look embarrassed.  "Don't I?" he asked his son.

He shook his head.  "My paws are too big to pry the door open," he reminded him.  "And I don't try to ram the door or anything; I've gotten kind of discouraged the past couple of times."  They exchanged a rueful look.  Remus had awoken from the transformation with blood plastering down his hair.  He turned pleading eyes on his father, but tried to school his face to stillness.  "Couldn't you just leave it alone?  And if I try to get out you can put the spell back on?"

"Sure, son," Mr. Lupin said.  He kissed Remus' hair.  "Try to get some rest."  

He closed the door behind him and Remus was alone. 

*   *   *

The pain was almost unbearable, and the human in him fought desperately to repress a long and mournful howl.  The wolf won out, though, and the sound ululated through the night like a palpable thing.

_~A wolf needs to be free to hunt~_ the voice that was and was not his own urged him. ~_Not trapped beneath ground like prey~_

He fought the urge but it was true.  Even through the concrete walls of the house basement the odors of the woods surrounding the Lupins' home made it to the werewolf's nose.  His mouth watered uncontrollably as the hot scent of deer flesh wafted to his nose and, testily, the wolf began to pace.

Suddenly, a noise caught his unusually sensitive ears.  The creak of stairs.  The scent of someone—one of the human family—approaching.  Equal parts panic and glee shot through the wolf's veins.

_It's my father!_ Remus shouted at his other self.  _We will not attack him!  _

But, as his ears pricked once more and horror spread through his body, Remus realized that it was not, in fact, his father.

"Are you down here, Remus?" came the horrifically familiar voice.  _Remmy._  "Remus, where are you?  You weren't in bed.  Remus, I think I heard a werewolf outside!  Let's go look for it!  Let's go!"

_~Young blood~_ thought the wolf as the blood pumped hard and fast.  _~A wandering lamb.  Tonight we feast~_

_We will not!_ Remus shouted inwardly, but the door began to creak and in a swirl his human senses were lost.  All that remained was the wolf. 

*   *   *

"Remus!"

He started and focused in on James' face.  His friend had him hard by the shoulders, and Remus noticed that his chest was heaving.  "Are you okay?" James asked, concerned.

Slowly, he nodded, but inside, he began to ache.  Memory began to overtake them.  Remiel's scream as he fled the basement, the scent of the blood—taken, thankfully, only by a scratch, and not a bite—left behind.  The look on their mother's face the next morning as she cradled the baby and looked at Remus with a fear he'd never seen before.  And finally, Sirius' eyes as he looked over Ani with fear and… something else.  Something that made his fists clench.

"I'm fine," he said to James, his voice hollow.  "Just not feeling so well.  Think I'll go and get myself a butterbeer or something."

Before his friend could follow, he pushed off into the crowd. 


	8. A Nasty Sort of Surprise

**Disclaimer:** As you all well know, I do not own the Marauders, despite my deep desire to have my very own Sirius, Remus and James.  The characters of the Harry Potter novels belong to J.K. Rowling, queen of the quill.  But the other characters are mine.  Respect my rights to them, or I'll get ya!

**Author's Note:**  Ahhh!  I'm so excited to get some action going in this nice, long chapter!  Beware; it's about to get angsty.  I know, I don't want any of our lads and lasses to be upset either… But I mean, come on, is there anything quite as dreamy as a brooding, angst-ridden Marauder?  Anyway, be prepared for some very out-of-character behavior: you've been properly warned.

*   *   *

Something was brewing.

Ani could feel it all around her—heavy and oppressive, like a storm rushing over the horizon.  It hovered over her constantly, setting her hair on end, causing her to glance over her shoulder as she wandered through the halls of the bed and breakfast.  She felt as nervous as a cat, on edge all the time, and she knew it was wearing on her family's nerves.   

As a result, when Lynx and Blythe offered to take Lily and Ani into town on their last day in Bath to celebrate the end of their very successful catering of the convention, Ani opted to stay in the room and work on some of the homework her mother had pressed on her at the last minute.

The excuse to be by herself had worked—though Lily, who always studied much harder than Ani, offered to stay with her until Ani persuaded her otherwise—but even as she spread out her books and parchment out in front of her to work on her History of Magic essay on trials against users of Unforgivable Curses, she found herself staring gloomily out the window.  The weather didn't help her mood; grey clouds hung low in the sky and a determined wind tapped at the glass of the windows with tiny fingers.

She glanced down at the lawn and shuddered.  Try as she might, Ani couldn't seem to banish the image of poor Caro with her neck bent and thick syrupy blood staining her oddly ruffled feathers from her mind.  She chewed nervously at her quill tip.  Nothing made sense.  Why would anyone attack the owl she sent to her parents?  What was the point?  What had she, a fifteen-year-old witch of no consequence, said in there that someone—another witch or wizard, no less—considered dangerous?

"Ani?"

She jumped at the sound of her older brother's voice.  "Rion!" she breathed shakily, turning around to where her brother stood in the doorway.  "For goodness sakes, you nearly gave me a heart attack.  Don't sneak up on me like that."

Rion held up a hand in apology.  "Sorry," he said.  "I knocked, but I guess you didn't hear me."

"Guess not," his sister replied.  "Why aren't you in Bath with Lynx and the others?"

"Eh.  Didn't really feel like shopping.  I told them if I wanted to join them I could just Apparate downtown a little later," he said with a non-committal shrug.  He entered the room and perched on the edge of the bed where Ani had spread her school things.  "Don't tell me you're actually working on this?" Rion asked, picking up the almost-blank roll of parchment and glancing at the title.  "Vacation is when you're supposed to relax."

"Well, don't worry too much," Ani said gloomily.  "I can't work _or_ relax.  So I guess at least I'm not defeating the purpose."

"What's bugging you, Ani?" Rion asked, the concern in his voice barely masked.  "I know you hate being pestered about it, but it's obviously something important.  I mean, hell, you passed up shopping with Lily!  I've never seen you do that."  Ani laughed but Rion's face remained grave.  "So what is it?  Really?"

Ani shrugged and flopped back on the bed, despondent.  "I just feel really terrible about the Reynolds' owl," she confessed.  Rion opened his mouth and she held up a quick hand to cut him off.  "I know, I know… It wasn't my fault, it was just someone playing a prank, and it didn't mean anything.  I know all of that.  But still… I can't shake the feeling that something's going to happen.  Something bad.  Something… dark."

As she spoke, a particularly loud howl of wind echoed outside and in spite of themselves, the two Hellsings shivered.   But Rion, diplomatically, gave Ani a comforting pat on the back.  "You're just shaken because of what happened," he informed her.  "And you're right, it _wasn't_ your fault.  You'll feel better once we get home, I guarantee it Ani.  But until then, you just can't think about it too much.  Okay?"

She offered her brother a half-hearted smile.  "Alright, but only because I know I've been driving you all crazy," she said.

"I'm glad you said it and not me," Rion teased.  He pushed up off the bed and hauled Ani up with him.  "Now come on.  I bet some Quidditch would really get your mind off things.  We don't have a Snitch or Bludgers, so we'll just toss the Quaffle around."

"We don't have brooms," Ani protested, but let herself be pulled from the room.

"The Reynolds have a couple that they keep around for their guests and their grandchildren when they come to visit," Rion informed her.  "They're not bad, actually… a few Cleansweeps and even one of those new Nimbus models!"

"How did you find out about all this?" Ani asked as they clattered down the stairs.

Rion grinned somewhat sheepishly.  "I've actually been talking with your friends from school for most of the morning," he admitted.  "We were hanging out on the porch and they told me they'd found some while they were rummaging around the house.  They're pretty good guys."  He gave his sister a sideways glance.  "Especially Sirius.  I really like him, Ani.  He's a good kid."

She smiled back at him.  "Didn't I tell you?" she said gently.

He nodded.  "You were right," he said simply.  They paused by the front door and Rion put a serious hand on his sister's shoulder.  "But I still think you ought to be careful… especially in light of recent events."

Ani gave him a sharp look.  "I thought you weren't worried," she said, an edge in her voice.  "Are you telling me all that comforting talk about it not being anything to worry about was just a bunch of blathering?"

"Don't be a smartass," Rion shot back.  "You know I'm just looking out for you."

Ani glared at him, half ready to turn on her heel and stalk back upstairs, but took one look at his face and softened.  "I know you are.  But as I said, you don't have anything to worry about.  Sirius doesn't have any interest in me."

He sighed, let his shoulders drop in his relief.  "Good."  Rion smiled wryly and cuffed her gently on the chin.  "Let's get out there."

They stepped out onto the lawn where the wind, though still brisk, had becalmed and the sun had begun to peak out through the clouds.  As she and Rion trudged steadily down the hill to where the four boys stood with brooms in hand, Ani felt her mood begin to lift.  The tentative sun on her shoulders seemed to melt away some of the ice within her stomach, and the glimpses of blue sky were restful on her eyes.  She grinned at her friends as she and her brother approached, waving in response to Peter's caroled greeting.  

She was about to run down the rest of the way to them and grab one of the spare rooms when she stopped dead in her tracks, so suddenly that Rion bumped her from behind.  "What's with you?" he asked, and shifted past her to descend the rest of the way.

"Nothing," she murmured, but as she looked upon Remus' face, the inner chill began to creep through her once more.  _Something is wrong with him_, Ani thought.  _But what?_

He had given her a smile as she approached, but his normally warm eyes seemed blacker than even Sirius'.  The lines around his mouth were harsh and deep, and his hands seemed taut as he clutched the worn broomstick.  It looked as though he hadn't slept since the morning they found Caro—the lines in his back were rigid and his jaw was clamped so tight it seemed sewn shut.

He noticed her scrutiny and glanced away quickly, striding away from her to where Peter stood, fiddling with a few straying twigs on his own broomstick.  Remus bent to help him.  Ani moved to approach him with a frown spreading over her face, fully intending to ask him if anything was wrong, when James stepped into her path.

"I'd just let him be, for now," he advised softly as Ani opened her mouth to speak.  He glanced over his shoulder to see if their friend was listening.  "He's been a bit sullen since we went into Bath yesterday.  He's just been real quiet, has kept to himself.  I asked him what was up, but he doesn't want to say."

"He hasn't said anything?" Ani asked, voice low.  "It's not like Remus to sulk."

"I know it," James replied.  "Normally that's Sirius' department.  Anyway, we thought some mock Quidditch game would buck him up.  But until then, I think we should try not to say anything."

Ani started to protest, then nodded grudgingly.  James was Remus' best friend—he probably knew best.  She suddenly had a sneaking suspicion that this was how Lily felt whenever James was right.  "Good idea," she admitted.  _No use worrying over something you can't affect,_ she reminded herself.  _Just enjoy the day and after the game you can talk to him._

"All right, Ani?" Sirius asked her as she crossed over to him and picked up the spare brooms off the ground, tossing one to her brother.

"Can't complain," she said with a smile.  "Not thrilled about going home this evening, but at least I get to see Ghost."

"We're leaving tonight too," Sirius replied.  "As soon as Mr. and Mrs. Potter get in from Bath, we're taking a Portkey back."  

He moved closer, almost imperceptibly so, and looked solemnly down into Ani's eyes.  Ani felt her heart rise into her throat.  _Dear Lord, _she thought.  Despite the heavy bruising still marring his face, Sirius' striking face stirred something deep within her.  "I'll be going back to London soon," he told her, dark eyes pouring into hers.  "You should send me an owl before you go to Diagon Alley to pick up your school things.  Maybe we can see each other while you're there."  A glimmer of a smile lit in his gaze.  "I'd like to see you again before school."

Ani fumbled for her words, her mind flashing with Lily and Rion's reactions if they were to find out that Sirius was asking to see her.  _Still,_ Ani thought, her smile tugging up the corners of her mouth, _they don't have to know about it!_

She was about to speak when someone cleared his throat loudly.  Both she and Sirius turned quickly to see Remus, half-turned away, standing nearby.  His face—tauter and thinner than any of the others boys'—looked craggy from the shadow of the clouds.  "Are we going to start now or what?" he asked gruffly.

"I'm ready!" Peter Pettigrew squeaked as he quickly mounted his broom.

Ani gave Remus a confused look, but he had already turned away.  Exchanging a shrug with Sirius, she mounted her broom, kicking off the ground and soaring into the air.  A lingering gust of wind rocked her to the side, but she rolled with it, surprised by the agility of the seemingly ancient broom.  Shouts of laughter echoed from her brother and the others as they leapt off the ground.  She turned and raced towards James—who was such a good flier that it made Ani feel like a first-year novice—who had the large Quaffle tucked under one arm.  He tossed to her and Ani, lightning quick, passed it to Remus, who hurled it at Sirius so hard and fast the red ball seemed to blur.

At first, Ani thought it had just been a trick of the light when she saw Remus' eyes flashing in anger.  But as Sirius caught the Quaffle, he grunted in pain, the unnecessary force actually forcing his broom back a pace.  For a moment she thought he was going to fall and Ani caught her breath—Sirius was just beginning to look normal from his last spill off a broom—but at the last second he caught himself.  He cast a confused glance at Remus and shouted something that Ani couldn't hear through the rushing wind.  But Remus didn't pay attention.  He had zoomed off, higher than the rest, out of range of their voices.

Confused, Ani zoomed upwards towards Remus, but as soon as she got close he zipped away again.  She turned, poised to follow once more, but her brother was suddenly at her side, and the Quaffle was rushing into her arms.  Catching it, she whipped around and tossed the ball to Peter, who (despite his somewhat clumsy nature on two feet) was actually quite agile on a broom.  James and Sirius began to goof off, doing harrowing, sweeping dives that Ani wouldn't have considered attempting even on the best broom in the world, while Rion swooped past them, matching them stunt for stunt.  

After it had already happened, Ani realized that she should have seen it coming.  The more frenzied Sirius and James' antics got, the darker Remus' face became.  Soon almost an hour had passed and sweat was beginning to bead on Ani's brow as she took the Quaffle from her brother once more.  She circled, higher and higher into the sky, up above anyone else.  She looked around her and caught sight of Remus, circling up to join her.  She tossed the ball to him, but Sirius—his face alight with laughter, a sight that inexplicably warmed Ani's heart—intercepted it halfway through, zooming up from underneath them.  

"Good snag, Black!" James shouted after him.

Ani was about to laugh along with her friends when out of the corner of her eye she saw Remus turn sharply in midair and angle himself back at Sirius.  The laughter hadn't even left her lips when it was replaced with a sharp cry—Remus, faster than she would have thought he was able, had charged Sirius and snatched the Quaffle out of his hands, wrenching it back so quickly that he nearly toppled off his broom.  The ball in hand, he gave Sirius a sharp shove and pushed his broom away.

Panic overtook Sirius—who had until that point been grinning cockily at Ani—as he fought to regain his balance.  He grasped desperately for the handle of his broom and the situation was almost comical… that is, until his flailing stopped and he fell, suddenly, off his broom and plummeted towards the earth.

"Sirius!" Ani and James screamed in one voice, watching helplessly as Sirius tumbled through the air.  

_He'll break his back if he lands wrong! _Ani cried inwardly.  Her hands were shaking as she clutched her broom and watched as James shot downwards, hoping to intercept his friend, but it was useless.  He was too far away, and falling too fast.

Thankfully, Rion was faster.  Moments before Sirius hit the ground he whipped out his wand and shouted, "_Apprehendo!"_  A stream of blue-green mist shot out of the tip of Rion's wand and enveloped Sirius midair.  Mercifully, the fall was slowed, which gave Sirius just enough time to right himself and land on his hands and knees rather than his back.  He grunted as he struck the ground and rolled over onto his side.  He was still.

Ani was first on the ground.  She landed with a thud and sprinted over to where Sirius lay.  "Sirius," she gasped, skidding to a halt by his side, on her knees in the soft grass, "are you okay?"

He let out a low groan and opened deep eyes to look on Ani's face as the others rushed to surround them.  "I'm fine," he said, cautiously flexing his arms and legs, wincing as he tilted his head from side to side.  "Bit bruised, but I'm okay."  He looked at Ani and, reading the fear on her face, sat up and—oblivious to two sets of burning stares—put a hand to her cheek.  Shivers chased down her back as he looked into her eyes.  "Honestly, Ani, I'm okay."

"Gave us a bit of a fright there, mate," James said with a forced laugh.  He reached down and gripped Sirius by the arm and hauled him to his feet.  "Next time you try a dive like that, keep your broom with you," he joked.

Ani and the others tried to laugh, hoping to ease the tension, but Sirius had already pushed past them.  He slowly made his way across the grass to several feet away where Remus stood, alone, his hands balled into tight fists at his side.  Trepidation filling her, Ani scurried to join him, but Sirius held up a hand as she approached.  He stopped, mere inches away from Remus, and looked his friend square in the eyes, his face blank.  "Why did you do that, Remus?" he asked, his voice low.

She looked at Remus and felt something tug at her heart.  The emotions written over his face were at war.  Shame and embarrassment flickered through his eyes, but were then replaced with something akin to hatred.  Ani felt her hands go cold.  "Looks like you just have bad luck with brooms, doesn't it, Sirius?" he asked, and his voice was taut.

Sirius' eyes flashed and he took a step forward, but Remus neatly sidestepped him and brushed past, moving back towards the house.  Peter, James and Rion parted as Remus stalked past them.  No one said a word as they watched him leave, shock and confusion vibrating among them.

"Remus!" Ani shouted.  "Remus, come back here!"

He paused for half a second.  With all her heart she begged him to turn.  But instead, he maintained his steady pace as he walked over the hill and out of sight.

*   *   *

_Idiot._

An inferno of shame ate away at Remus' insides as he and the other Marauders stood uncomfortably by the Reynolds' front porch.  Peter, Sirius and James had grouped together off to one side, which he didn't really mind.  _I'd rather we not say anything than hear what Sirius' fist has to say, _he thought gloomily to himself.  He'd never seen Sirius so angry in all their years of friendship.  But even that wasn't what hurt the most.  He knew he and Sirius would be right again.  What stung most were the long, level, sad-eyed looks he received from those golden eyes across the lawn every time he dared to look up.

He attempted it again.  Luckily, Ani was diverted as she and her family and friends chatted with the Potters and the Reynolds next to Lynx Hellsing's battered old Muggle car.  He wasn't sure if he could stand the shame of his stupidity and was feeling more than a little relieved that soon they'd all be on their separate ways.  Back to home, back to his parents and little brother… _And back to being completely bored for the rest of the summer,_ Remus thought.

"Boys!" MaryAnn Potter caroled.  "Are you about ready to go?"

"Come say goodbye to the Reynolds and the Hellsings!" Harold Potter echoed, the wind ruffling his dark hair. 

Hands deep in his pockets, Remus trudged to join the larger group and glanced up to meet a pair of blue eyes.  Rion Hellsing met Remus' eyes and Remus cringed inwardly.  Any good impression he'd hoped to make on Ani's older brother—whom he'd liked at Hogwarts and now liked even more—had more than likely evaporated the moment he shoved Sirius off his broom.  

He still couldn't believe that he'd lost control like that.  After the incident with Remiel, which even his parents had admitted was a terrible accident and not at all his fault, Remus had spent intense effort on keeping his temper under control.  His mild temper was what differed him from Sirius and even James, who had been known to foam at the mouth from time to time, and he prided himself on his cool disposition.  But that didn't change the fact that sometimes—against his will—his reactions turned primal, animal.  No matter how tight a reign he tried to keep on his feelings, sometimes the wolf in him won out.  And that was scary.

As he'd watched Sirius fall towards the ground, intense panic and remorse instantly filled his being.  But that all disappeared when he watched as Ani rushed over to their fallen friend's side.  He burned as Sirius put a hand to Ani's cheek as she looked at him with concern writ all over her face.  And as he stared at them, Remus remembered how he'd felt the night Sirius checked Ani for wounds and she looked into his eyes.

_It's not fair,_ Remus thought, and clenched his fists in his robes as he and the others said their farewells to the other two families.  The one girl he could really talk to—_The one girl you might have been able to tell your secret to,_ an inner voice chimed in—was being pulled away from him by Sirius.  Always by Sirius.

Snapping back to attention, Remus schooled his face to stillness and looked up at Rion.  He suddenly became aware of the others looking at them, especially Ani.  Ani's brother looked at Remus for a moment and one corner of his mouth quirked up into a half-smile.  Remus suddenly got the impression that all the feelings he had about Ani and Sirius were laid bare and obvious to Rion.  

"Remind me to make sure you're on my Quidditch team next time we play," he joked, extending his hand.

Relief filled him as he shook Rion's hand.  He glanced at Ani, whose eyes, despite the impassivity of her face, were warmer.  "Sounds like a plan," he agreed.

Mr. Potter and Mr. Reynolds helped Lynx and Rion load up the Hellsings' car while Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Reynolds hugged Ani, Lily and Blythe goodbye.  Ani looked up and met Remus' eyes, then looked at the other Marauders.  "We'll let you know when we're going to London," she said with a smile.  "Maybe we can all meet there again."

"Or maybe not," Lily added under her breath, and Remus couldn't help but chuckle at the look on James' face.

"See you soon!" Peter called out as the Hellsings piled into their car.

"Better head out to the fields," Mr. Potter announced, putting his arm around James' mother.  "We're due for our Portkey in about fifteen minutes.  Let's get a move on."

They were about to turn away when they heard the sickening sputter of the Hellsings' car.  The boys cringed at the sound of it.  "I don't know much about Muggle things," James said as he and Remus glanced at each other.  "But I know that a car isn't supposed to sound like a dying cat."

Mr. Potter, a look of concern over his face, turned back towards the car as Lynx climbed out and lifted the hood of the car to examine the engine.  "I don't understand it," he told James' father as they both leaned over the open car.  "We've had this for almost fifteen years and it's never given me trouble before.  Maybe the charms Dad put on the engine are wearing off."

"Well, let's see if we can't figure out the problem before we catch our Portkey," Mr. Potter suggested.

But ten minutes of poking, prodding and mild swearing had produced no results.  Even a desperate attempt at a _Reparo_ spell could not get the Hellsings' engine to turn over.  "I don't understand it," Blythe wondered aloud.  "It worked fine a few days ago!"

"Can you call a mechanic?" Lily asked.

"Even if we could, there are repelling charms all around the house," Mrs. Reynolds pointed out.  "A mechanic would never be able to find us."

"I promised your parents I'd have you back by today," Lynx told Lily worriedly.  "I guess we'll have to send them an owl and tell them we'll have to wait until I can either figure out what's wrong with the car or we can take off the repelling charms so a mechanic could find us."

Mr. Reynolds rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.  "I've got some books on old cars up in the house," he informed Lynx.  "My son was fascinated with 'em.  And we've got some of his old tools.  He taught his old man a trick or two, let's see if we can't get this thing fixed."

Mrs. Potter, concerned, asked, "How long do you think it'll take?"

The older man shrugged.  "Don't really know," he replied.  "If we can't fix it ourselves, it'll take a damn long time to undo all them charms we put on."

James' mother turned to Lynx.  "If you would like, we could redirect our Portkey and take the girls home," she offered.  "We'd get there much faster than an owl and that way Lily's parents wouldn't have to worry."

Remus felt his insides clench.  More time with Ani?  Maybe a chance to redeem himself?  He dared to hope.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble, that'd be very kind of you," Lynx said gratefully.  "We'll just leave the luggage in our car until we can get it all home so you don't have to try to cling to it while you're on a Portkey."

"It's no trouble at all," Mrs. Potter assured him.  She looked at Blythe and Rion.  "And you two are more than welcome to come.  We'll just redirect the spell and get these girls home in no time." 

"I'll go ahead and stay with Lynx," Blythe suggested.  "I've had my share of car troubles back in the States; we'll see if I can put them to any use.  But Rion should probably go with the girls; Cassie will worry if both of her boys are AWOL."

Ani added, "You can all have dinner with us.  Mum won't mind, she loves any excuse to cook for company."

"No problem," Rion agreed.

"It's settled, then," Mr. Potter said.  "We'd better hurry, though.  We're due to leave in a few minutes."  He shook Lynx's hand.  "Hope you can get the problem fixed, son."

Lynx gripped Mr. Potter's hand and smiled.  "So do I," he said with a rueful laugh.  He turned to his sister and gave her a quick, one-armed hug.  "Tell Mum and Dad what happened, will you?" he asked.

"Can do," Ani said and turned to follow the Potters and the Marauders.  "See you at home.  Good luck!"

*   *   *

"Pity we had to arrive so far from the house," Ani said to Remus and the other boys as she and Lily led them and the Potters down Smythwick Circle.  "That field is the only place that I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have been seen."

"Last time Mrs. Hellsing had a Portkey transport us directly into the backyard," Lily added, "my sister had her boyfriend Vernon over and he nearly had a heart attack.  Not that this would have been a bad thing, you understand."

Mrs. Potter said good-naturedly, "It's no problem."  She squinted down the street.  "Which house is yours, Ani?" 

Ani pointed.  "The tall, kind of faded blue one," she said.  She paused for a moment, gazing confusedly at the house.  "But whose car is that outside?  Don't tell me that Lynx managed to fix it after all and beat us here!"

Remus followed her gaze to the house.  He frowned.  "That looks like a Ministry car," he commented.  "They always send one that looks like that to our house when they come to renew my—Ouch!"

"What's wrong?" Ani asked, looking back over her shoulder at him.

"Nothing," James said quickly.  "He just tripped."

"Yeah," Remus murmured.  "I tripped."  _Nice going,_ he thought to himself.  It would not have done him any good to let Ani know his secret by telling her, on accident, that he had to continually renew his werewolf's registration.  _Good of James to get my back,_ he thought gratefully.  "I wonder why the Ministry is at your house," he covered.

In silence they trudged the rest of the way towards the house, and just as Ani had reached out to open the front door, a tall wizard in Muggle sunglasses wearing a stern-looking black business robe appeared in the doorway.  "Can I help you?" he asked, his gruff voice menacing as he looked over the tired group of people.

Taken aback, Ani started and then glared up at him.  "I live here!" she said hotly.  "Who are you?"

"It's alright, Thomas," another male voice said, and suddenly a milder looking young wizard appeared at the wall-like man's side.  "You must be Andromeda and Orion," he said to the confused Hellsing children.  "I'm Malius Baldrick, I work for the Ministry of Magic."

Remus and the Marauders all exchanged confused looks.  What was going on?

"Is there a problem, sir?" Mr. Potter said, pushing forward.  "I'm Harold Potter, Lynx Hellsing sent me to take his younger siblings home."

"I'm afraid there is a problem, sir," Malius Baldrick said as he gestured for the group to enter the house.  "Please come in."

Remus felt his eyes growing wide as he came inside.  Dozens of black-robed witches and wizards, grave of face, were milling about, looking over papers, muttering to each other in low, serious voices.  The Hellsing house, which seemed comfortable and cozy otherwise, now seemed impersonal and official.  A buzz of tension hung low in the air.

He glanced over at Ani and saw the panic on her face.  "Mum?" she called out, and her voice trembled slightly.

A moment later a woman who looked remarkably like Ani came into the room.  Her eyes were red rimmed and her face looked pale.  "Mum, what's wrong?" Rion asked urgently, pushing through the crowd of people to grasp his mother by the arms.

Mrs. Hellsing swayed in her son's embrace and lifted trembling hands to her mouth.  "Oh, Ani, Rion," she moaned, sounding like someone lost.  She buried her face in her son's shoulder.  "I don't know what happened!  I just don't know!"

"Mum, what is it?" Ani asked, and she began to shake.  Remus stepped forward as he heard the apprehension in her voice, his heart aching and his mind whirling.  "What happened?"

"It's your father," Mrs. Hellsing said, and fresh tears sprang to her eyes.  "He's missing.  He disappeared."

Remus shouted in alarm and rushed forward as, pale and shaking, Ani's knees buckled and she sank to the ground.


	9. There's a Wizard They Call Voldemort

**Disclaimer:** J.K. Rowling owns the Marauders and all the characters from Harry Potter. She just lets us play with them, and we dearly love her for it. The characters you don't recognize, however, are my own, and I protect all rights to them. Respect my work, please!

**Author's Note:** Getting an early start on this chapter! Hopefully it won't take as long to get it up, but it also might not be as long. Either way, we'll have to wait and see. In other news, I know the James/Lily shippers are getting restless. I, too, grow weary of their bickering. But do remember that they don't get together until their seventh year… but that doesn't mean that something can't happen. Anyway, I hope you all like this chapter.

**Exciting News!** My glorious, wonderful, talented beau has consented to draw me some sketches for my work! Huzzah! I don't know when those will be produced, but I promise to crack the whip! As soon as I get them up somewhere, I'll let you know.

---

James had never in his whole life been as glad to see his mother take charge as he was at that very moment.

"Unbelievable!" Mrs. Potter muttered as she pushed forward. "They send half the damn Department of Disappearances to occupy the house and they can't spare one person to tend to a frightened woman?" She put a hand on Rion's back and spoke softly to his mother. "Cassie, right?" she said in a gentle voice. "I'm MaryAnn Potter; my son James is in Gryffindor with Ani and Lily. Why don't you come with me into the kitchen and I'll make you a pot of tea? It'll soothe your nerves."

Cassie Hellsing, who shared Ani's tumbling curls and Rion's blue eyes, nodded and wiped her tears away with shaky fingers. "Yes, of course," she said, fighting for composure. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't even realize I was… Well, anyway, thank you, the kitchen's just this way."

James' mother started to follow Mrs. Hellsing towards the kitchen, but glanced back over her shoulder. "Remus," she ordered, "you and Sirius help Ani to the couch. Peter, you come with me and get her a glass of water from the kitchen. Poor thing, she's had a scare." She looked at her husband, worry in her eyes. "Harold, why don't you go with Rion and see if you can't find out what the Ministry knows about what happened to his father."

"Of course," Harold said. He patted his son on the back as he moved past him and put a firm hand on Rion's shoulder. "Come on, lad, we'll get to the bottom of this." Rion, his face pale as he watched his mother leave with Mrs. Potter, nodded shakily. He and Mr. Potter strode off purposefully to where Malius Baldrick stood.

Glancing nervously around the room, James suddenly found himself alone. He was about to follow Sirius and Remus, who had finally dropped their hostility towards each other as they guided Ani towards an overstuffed sofa, when a flash of red caught the corner of his eyes. He glanced up to see Lily, whose face was stricken, moving back towards the front door.

Concerned, he did an about face and sprinted back towards the door. He burst out onto the front porch just as Lily descended the steps. "Evans, wait up," he called out to her.

He didn't expect her to listen—in fact, he'd steeled himself for a flaying retort: Lily's tongue was about as sharp as her wits—so when she paused and turned around, a little tremor of shock went through James. Her bright eyes actually seemed soft rather than flashing with hatred, the way they usually got when she looked upon him. _Merlin's ghost,_ James thought as he moved down towards her. _She must be really upset._

"Are you okay?" he asked and stifled a wave of irritation at the nervousness in his voice. Anyone else—any other girl in the world!—and James Potter could talk his way into and out of anything. But Lily reduced him to nothing but immaturity and nerves. _Great way to win a girl on a date,_ he thought to himself. _Stutter like a moron so she can't help but feel sorry for you. The great James Potter, lady-killer and village idiot!_

"Yeah," Lily said, and James, unbidden, felt himself go soft at the tone of her voice. "I just—I figured I ought to go let my parents know what's going on and tell them I'm home. But then I want to go back and see Ani… see if there's anything I can—"

"Oh God." Horror filled James as Lily's green eyes swam with tears. "Hey, Lily, it's okay," he said, and awkwardly put a hand on her arm. "I'm sure Ani's alright."

"Of course she's alright," Lily snapped, and James actually felt a sense of relief at the sharpness of her voice. But the relief disappeared when she spoke again. "Sorry," she murmured, looking at her feet. "I'm just upset."

"Don't apologize," James replied desperately. "You're worried about your friend."

"It's not that," she went on, her voice slightly trembling. "Well, I mean, it is… but there's more. It's just that, well, the Hellsings have been like another family to me." She twisted her hands together nervously and James instinctively reached out and touched them gently. Her fidgeting stilled. "Cassie would help me with my homework when I was here over the summers and Cephas taught me how to play Quidditch. It's just… seeing Cassie so upset… and with Cephas missing… I just…"

Her voice trailed off and James cleared his throat uncomfortably. He'd watched his mother get weepy over sappy love stories in _Witch's Weekly_ and that had been bad enough: but for Evans to stand before him, teary eyed, was almost too much to take. "Let me walk you over to your house," he suggested. "And then we can go back and check on Ani, and see what my Dad found out. Okay?"

She nodded, her eyes still over bright, and James tentatively put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "It'll all be okay, Lily," he repeated.

His heart leapt as Lily glanced up at him and gave a slight smile. "Thanks, James," she said. "I appreciate it."

---

"Mum?" Lily called out. "Mum, are you here, I need to talk to you."

James, vaguely apprehensive, followed Lily into a comfortable house next door to the Hellsings. It was the first time in his life he'd ever been in an entirely Muggle household and the lack of magic seemed to be a palpable thing, despite the house's outward comfort. The pictures on the walls were eerily still, and everything seemed—well—dull as mud. _How is it possible,_ James asked himself incredulously, _that a witch who sparkles the way Lily does could come from someplace that seems as blank as parchment?_

He paused before a family portrait on one wall. Lily's mother was rather pretty and had apparently passed her red hair onto her daughter, though Lily's was bright with youth and Mrs. Evans' had become speckled with grey. Mr. Evans, tall, green eyed and grey haired, seemed very distinguished, but had a warm smile and rested a fatherly hand on Lily's shoulder in the picture. Both Mr. and Mrs. Evans seemed like friendly, warm people. Pictures didn't lie, as James had found, and the warm smiles on the Evans' faces made him wonder yet again why so many witches and wizards held such ill will towards Muggles.

James pulled back a step when his eyes landed on the picture's fourth occupant. An older girl—Lily's sister, obviously, whom she had called Petunia on the way to the Hellsings'—with a brittle face and pale blue eyes looked out at him. Though she had forced her face into a smile, her eyes were flat. Though it seemed silly and he was sure it was his imagination, James thought he could feel her eyes slide over him with distaste. He shuddered. He hoped she wasn't home—he had no desire on meeting that particular member of Lily's family.

"Lily!"

He turned away from the portrait to see tall, graying Mrs. Evans enfold her daughter into a warm hug. "How was Bath, darling, did you have a good time?" she asked, a smile creasing her face. She glanced up to see James and flashed a smile at him, her brown eyes warm behind wire-rimmed glasses. "You've brought a guest! Hi there, I'm Lily's mother, Blodwen."

Emboldened by her smile, James shook Blodwen Evans' hand and smiled back. "Nice to meet you, ma'am, I'm James Potter," he introduced himself.

"James is in my year and house at school, Mum," Lily explained.

"Oh, how nice!"

"He and his family and some of the boys from school were staying at the same place in Bath as we were," Lily continued. "Lynx's car wouldn't start up, so the Potters brought us home."

"Oh, that was good of them," Mrs. Evans said with a smile. "Are your parents outside, James, would you like to invite them in for tea?"

"His parents are over at Ani's," Lily said. Then, concernedly, she said, "Have you been over there in the past few days?"

Mrs. Evans had taken James by the elbow and was showing him to a chair in the living room. "Let me get you something to drink, James," she said. "No, Lily, I haven't. I've been spending more time at the office lately. Seems like Cassie's had visitors for the past few days, though, so I'm sure she's busy. Maybe we'll have the Hellsings over for dinner sometime later this week, alright?"

Lily and James exchanged looks. "Mum," Lily began, "Cephas is missing. Cassie doesn't know what's happened to him, she's been frantic."

Mrs. Evans started and her jaw dropped. "When did this happen?" she asked, her voice stark with shock.

"We don't know," James replied. "My Dad and Rion are trying to find something out."

"Oh God, poor Cassie," Mrs. Evans said and she rushed towards the kitchen. She called to her daughter, "Honey, go upstairs and say hello to your father, and then you can go back over to the Hellsings'. I've got a casserole in the icebox; I'll stick it in the oven and bring it over."

"Okay," Lily answered. She glanced at James and said, "I'll be down in a moment, if you want to go back."

James nodded. "Sure," he said, but as Lily headed up the stairs, he found himself moving into the kitchen.

Mrs. Evans, her kind face worry lined, was bustling about the kitchen. She glanced up when James entered and smiled, obviously awaiting an explanation for his presence. "Do you need any help, Mrs. Evans?" James asked tentatively.

Her smile widened. "Thank you, James, but I'm fine," she said kindly. "Go ahead and go back to the Hellsings; Lily and I will be there shortly."

He turned towards the doorway and then glanced over his shoulder. "I really like Lily, Mrs. Evans," he blurted out, before he could help himself. "She's really smashing: she's the best girl in the year and a great Quidditch player. She's just… she's really something."

Blodwen Evans paused for a moment, then turned and slowly surveyed the boy in her kitchen. "You're James Potter, you said?" she asked. James swallowed hard and nodded. The older woman's brown eyes moved over James like a comb and he had the distinct feeling that, despite her lack of magical talent, Lily's mother could see right through him. "Yes, I've heard Lily mention you," she said, a glimmer in her eyes. "You and your friends. The… Marauders, did she say?"

His stomach dropped to his feet. _So much for a good first impression!_ his mind groaned.

Sensing his anxiety, Mrs. Evans smiled again. "Well, I'm glad Lily has such good friends at school." James thought he saw her wink at him. "Go ahead and walk on back to the Hellsings', James, Lily and I will be there shortly.

Feeling like he'd made an ass of himself, James nodded and moved out of the kitchen. He'd just placed his hand on the front doorknob when he heard Mrs. Evans give a low chuckle. "Lily Maria Evans Potter," he heard her muse. "Fancy that."

---

Unease started to creep over Sirius, slowly at first, but soon the feeling was so strong that he couldn't resist it any longer.

He pushed up off the couch and began to pace around the living room. Several of the officials gave him curious looks and he was sure he heard his name murmured—"Maurus Black's son? Are you sure?"—but he ignored them. He simply wasn't in a mood to have Ministry officials simpering over him simply because his father had them in his pocket.

_If they say a word to me,_ he thought, _I will hex them all. _His temper, foul and snake-like, coiled in his stomach, yet he couldn't place its source.

_Whatever it is,_ he thought darkly, _it doesn't help that Remus glares at me every time I move towards Ani. Or that he never looks away from her face. Or that he keeps touching her face and her hand._ He glanced back at the couch. Sure enough. Ani, though she was looking better, was still bone-pale and had sunk back against the pillows of the couch and Remus was still hovering over her.

When Ani heard that her father was missing—_And let's face it,_ he reminded himself, _when a group of full-grown wizards can't find you when you're not supposed to be missing, it's never good_—and had crumpled to the floor, Sirius had instantly started towards her. But Remus got there first and as a result it was he who gently lead Ani to the couch and he at whom she smiled weakly.

That was when he'd started to burn. It wasn't until his hands had begun to cramp that he realized he'd clenched his fists so tightly that the nails he kept short were slicing into his palms. He relaxed his hands, flexing the fingers, and turned back to the couch just in time to see Remus smooth the dark curls away from Ani's face. Instantly the tension was back.

_Oh, enough of this!_

"Where are you going?" Peter asked, returning from the kitchen with another glass of water as Sirius brushed past him.

"Outside," Sirius snarled. He moved towards the back door and pushed outside, shoving the door roughly back into its place, feeling a vague and selfish satisfaction as the slam echoed through the house.

"Easy now, lad, that's an old door."

Sirius started and looked around the yard. Dusk had lowered itself over the sky, staining it a dusky berry pink. The trees, old and sprawling, cast long shadows through the Hellsings' yard. Sirius caught a glimpse of a familiar figure with blond hair sitting, knees up to his chest, beneath one of the trees. "What're you doing out here?" he asked Rion as he approached.

Ani's brother shrugged and gestured for Sirius to settle onto the ground next to him. "Mum's still pretty worked over and I just can't stand to see her that way. I wasn't doing any good in there, apparently: one of the gentlemen in there suggested that I get out from underfoot," he grumbled, his words as bitter as aloes. He glanced at Sirius, his scowl erased by a look of concern. "How's Ani doing?"

Forcing his face to remain still, Sirius responded, "She's looking much better. Got some color in her cheeks, at least."

"That's good." The two fell silent and when Rion spoke again, his voice was low. "They think they know what happened."

"Really?" Sirius glanced over at Rion, whose face looked like stone. "How? Did they find something your mum didn't?"

"Kind of." Rion dug through the pocket of his jeans and unearthed a small, crumpled piece of parchment. "I wasn't supposed to see this, but James' dad slipped it to me before I went outside." He pressed it into Sirius' hand.

Feeling as though his stomach were trying to escape, Sirius unfolded the parchment. He winced against a bright green glow that suddenly emanated from the paper. He felt his eyes grow wide as he looked at the image in his hand. Glowing so brightly it would have burned to the touch was a wand-drawn symbol: a menacing skull with a snake, so lifelike Sirius swore he saw it move, protruding from the mouth. It was a thing he'd never seen before and one he knew he never wanted to see again.

"What is this?" he asked.

Rion shrugged. "Not exactly sure," he replied. "I managed to get some information out of that Baldrick fellow and James' dad, and what I did find out isn't good." He laughed sharply. "Don't know why I'm telling you this," he said, running a hand through his hair. "You're just a kid. You really shouldn't have to hear this. Hell, _I_ didn't want to hear it."

They were quiet for a moment while Rion organized his thoughts. Trepidation crept up Sirius' spine. "There's a wizard," Rion began, "they call Voldemort. Not much is known about him, other than he's very powerful and very, very dark." He paused, let the information sink in. "What do you know about the Pureblood Sanctity Act, Sirius?" he asked.

He felt cold. "I know that my dad thinks it's a great idea," he said, his voice hollow. "They want to get rid of all the half-bloods in schools and the Ministry and things like that. Right?"

Rion nodded grimly. "Voldemort is of the mind that it should be taken a step further," he continued. "He wants to… well, for the past few years, half-bloods and Muggle-borns have been… disappearing." He reached out and tapped the parchment with one long finger. "This is the symbol he and his followers have created for themselves."

"Why do they think that's what has to do with your dad?" Sirius asked. "I mean, okay, they found this… but you're Purebloods, Rion. Hellsing is an old, old name."

"I know, that's what I said," Rion said. "I asked Baldrick how this could be, but that's all he would tell me… and I'm pretty sure he didn't even want me to know that. Just wanted to get me out of his hair." A wry, humorless grin stretched over his face. "I can be very… persistent."

"So why do they think it's something to do with Voldemort?" Sirius repeated.

"I finally asked James' dad about it," Rion admitted. He glanced around them and whispered, "Stand up." He hauled Sirius to his feet and then crouched into the grass. Sirius watched, fascinated, as Rion drew a thin silver line in a circle around them. It reminded him of the Gender-Line that James' dad had put across all the likely places for snogging at James' last summer party. As soon as the circle was completed, a silver curtain shot up from the ground, only to fade to little more than a glimmer a split second later. "Silencing charm," Rion explained. "I don't fancy being overheard.

"There's an order of witches and wizards," he went on quietly. "No one knows what it's called. But rumor has it that Albus Dumbledore's behind it, that he started it up when he first heard about Voldemort. It's supposedly an effort against Voldemort; maybe protecting the people he's likely to go after. But as I said, it's very hushed. Harold Potter isn't even sure it's true… as of right now it's just a very likely rumor." He met Sirius' eyes for a long moment. "He thinks my dad might be a member."

Sirius went suddenly rigid. Unbidden, his father's voice echoed through his head. _Cephas Hellsing is a disgrace to his name and his breed… The Pureblood Sanctity Act has come under nearly constant attack thanks to that man alone._

He spoke and his voice sounded far away. "What would they do to him… if it was Voldemort and his followers?" Sirius asked.

Rion's face remained impassive. "I don't know," he said shortly. "I imagine they'd kill him."

"Sirius! Rion!"

Both he and Rion snapped to attention at the sight of James rushing across the yard. Rion muttered "_Finite Incantatum"_ and the spell sizzled as it ended.

James skidded to a stop before them and, looking furtively over his shoulder, lowered his voice as he said, "Rion, has my dad talked to you?"

Ani's brother gave Sirius a significant look and said guardedly, "Yeah, he did."

"I'm going to guess he told you what he just told me," James rushed. His hazel eyes were alight with something akin to panic and, against his will, Sirius began to worry. "Rion, I was just thinking… how long have you had that car? How many times has it broken down?"

"I can't remember it ever breaking down," Rion admitted. He shrugged. "Guess it was about time. What does this have to do with—"

"No," James interrupted, "it wasn't about time. I don't think it just wore down… I think someone messed with the engine of your car, Rion." Rion's eyes went narrow and hard as flint as James continued. "Your dad disappears… and suddenly the car you are all in breaks down in a place in the middle of the country that's surrounded by Repelling charms." James took a deep breath and finished, "I don't think it was an accident. If the thing with the owl hadn't happened, I wouldn't be so suspicious, but it's too much at the same time to be coincidence. Rion, I think someone is after your family."

Rion was silent for a moment and Sirius noticed his hand gripping his wand, the knuckles white. When he spoke, his tone was hard and flat, the tone of a man who has been tricked. "Did you mention this to your dad?" he asked.

James shook his head. "Only you two. I didn't tell Ani, either."

"Good. Don't say anything about it," Rion warned. "Don't tell Ani or my mum or anyone where I've gone. Not a word. If I'm not back in half an hour, James, tell your dad. But no one else. Understand?"

He didn't wait for an answer. A second later, he had Disapparated into the deepening night.

---

It was almost nightfall when Ani finally felt strong enough to get up from the couch. "I should go find my mum," she told a concerned Remus, who had yet to leave her side.

He nodded and put a hand under her elbow to help her up. She gave him a grateful smile. "Last time I checked, she was in the kitchen with Mrs. Potter," he told her. Lily patted Ani on the back as she passed her and Peter smiled up timidly at her, shifting on the couch to let her by.

The dizziness had passed, but the cold pit in her stomach remained. Her father. Missing. The two phrases didn't fit. She'd just seen him a week ago, smiling at her from the breakfast table, reminding her and Rion that there was such a thing as too much fun and to behave themselves. "Where could he have gone?" she asked herself aloud, but the lack of answers her mind could produce gave her no comfort.

On the way to the kitchen, Ani's eye fell upon Sirius and James deep in murmured conversation behind a group of black-robed officials. Curious, she moved towards them. Sirius, who was facing her, stopped speaking abruptly as she approached and James quickly followed suit. "What's wrong?" Ani asked them as she drew near.

James shrugged. "Nothing," he said, a bit too quickly, and Ani's radar went off.

"Just talking about going back to London," Sirius recovered, giving Ani the impression that he was trying to distract her. "I'm really not looking forward to going home. Marks will be coming in soon and my dad's going to be none too pleased."

"Uh huh." Not satisfied but without the energy to pry, Ani shrugged and walked off, distinctly aware of Sirius watching her go. He'd stalked off earlier, and through her haze of worry Ani had been half tempted to follow him. But Peter had pressed another glass of water into her hand and Remus, who seemed certain she was going to shatter, had looked so worried that she didn't want to distress him further. Awhile later, James had come back from Lily's alone and made a beeline to his father and from thence outside, where Sirius had gone. Lily returned shortly afterwards with her mother in tow. Mrs. Evans had gone into the kitchen and Lily had joined Ani, Remus and Peter on the couch. Since then, they'd all been sitting around tensely, waiting for something… but Ani didn't know what.

When she entered the kitchen, all conversation stopped. _What is with this?_ she thought as her mother, Blodwen Evans and the Potters all exchanged guilty glances. _Why does everyone stop speaking the moment I come into a room?_ She pushed the thought aside and moved to her mother, putting a hand on her shoulder. Cassie covered her daughter's hand with her own. "Are you okay, Mum?" Ani asked gently.

"I'm better, darling," her mother said, her voice straining to remain calm. "Just worried about your father is all." She glanced over her shoulder. "What's become of Rion?" she asked. "He went outside almost an hour ago and I haven't seen him since."

"Didn't he come in with James and Sirius, Ani?" MaryAnn Potter asked.

Ani slowly shook her head and moved to the kitchen window that overlooked the backyard. No Rion. "He's not out there," she said softly. "He's not anywhere."

Her suspicion once again mounting, Ani turned on her heel and stalked back into the living room. Something was happening, and someone was lying. She marched up to James and Sirius and grabbed James by the upper arm. He whirled around, surprised, and looked down at her. Ani's anger started to rise. "Where did my brother go?" she demanded. "He was outside with you and then he was gone. Where did he go, and what aren't you telling us?"

Wordless, the two dark boys gave each other a long look. Ani was about to scream, her patience finally splintered, when she heard her brother's voice.

"_Mum!"_ The house went dead silent as Rion's bellow echoed off the walls. "Come upstairs, right now!"

Instantly Ani released James' arm and sprinted for the stairs as she watched her mother rush out of sight. A strong arm caught her around the middle and pulled her backwards. "Easy, Hellsing," Sirius said against her hair as she struggled in his arms. "You don't know what's going on."

"No thanks to you!" Ani shouted, wrenching around so that she faced the much taller Sirius. She tilted her head defiantly and glowered into his black eyes. "Let me go," she said in a low voice, "or I will never forgive you."

"Ani…" he began.

"Sirius." Her voice cracked. "There's no time. Let me go."

He sighed and the sound came from his very soul. "Fine," he said, releasing her. "But I'm coming too."

"Fine."

Released, Ani raced up the stairs, Sirius' footsteps pounding behind her. She hesitated at the top of the steps, unsure where to go, when from Rion's room she heard her mother's low, animal moan. She shot down the hall and through the open door to Rion's room.

When she saw the scene before her, she froze. Sirius, quick on her heels, had to brace himself in the doorframe to keep from ramming into her.

In her brother's bed lay Lynx, his face ashen, a thin river of blood dripping from his lips. More blood stained the crown of his long blond hair, and his forearms were littered with cuts and bruises and wounds that Ani knew came from a wand. Her mother, stricken, sat next to her eldest son, his head on her lap, stroking his hair, a look of shock and loss marring her features.

Rion, breathing hard, stood at the far side of the bed and looked up to meet Ani's eyes. Brother and sister shared a long look. "I found him at the Reynolds," Rion explained, his voice dull. "The Reynolds… they're dead, Ani… both of them. He's lucky he's as alive as he is."

From the bed Lynx let out a moan and suddenly struggled against the sheets. "Darling, be quiet, lay still," Mrs. Hellsing whispered, cradling her child's head. "We've sent for a Healer, just lay still."

"Blythe." Lynx let out a keening moan, his eyes still welded shut, his hands grasping at the bedclothes. "They took her… they took her…" He was silent for a moment and then, his face contorted, began to scream.

Ani felt the pressure build in her chest and whirled around before it reached her throat. She ducked under Sirius' arm and flew from the room, heading to her own room, her sanctuary. She burst through the door and was about to fling herself onto her bed when strong arms caught her once more.

"Oh God, Sirius," she wailed as he turned her gently. His coal eyes burned down at her, an expression of unspeakable grief on his face. Ani buried her face in his chest and felt hot tears begin to flow. "Why is this happening?" she sobbed, desperately grasping him around the waist, her sorrow overwhelming her. "What is happening to us?"

Sirius, his voice locked in his throat, could say nothing. He simply held her close and rested his cheek against her hair, letting her cry.


	10. The Time to Act

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the world or characters of the wonderful JK Rowling.  She simply lets me borrow them for my own pleasures.  The Hellsing family, Blodwen Evans and any other unrecognized characters are my own creations.

**Author's Note:** Sorry for the delay, I had to pack up all my stuff and leave the university for the summer.  Don't know how often I'll be updating from home, as I'm trying to find a job (Curse the US job market!) but I'll try to keep things at a steady pace.  Be prepared for shorter chapters.

---

The clock was chiming midnight when MaryAnn Potter finally found them.

"Sirius?"

He glanced up at her, bleary eyed.  Ani, fitfully dozing, made a small noise and clenched her arm tighter around Sirius' middle.  He shifted so that he sat up, but made no move to leave the bed as Mrs. Potter and two of the three other Marauders peaked in through the door.

When she saw the sleeping Ani, her face tear-streaked and her hands clutching at Sirius, Mrs. Potter fell silent for a moment.  When she spoke again, her voice had lost the raggedness of exhaustion and had the tone familiar of all mothers—except for, of course, Sirius' own.  "Darling, we need to get Remus and Peter back home," Mrs. Potter said softly, "and then we must decide whether or not you're going back to London."

Sirius looked down at the face that rested against his chest, smooth pale skin against dark fabric.  "I don't want to disturb her," he said, and hazarded a look up at Remus.  The werewolf had turned away, was standing unobtrusively off to the side, but Sirius knew he heard every word that was spoken.  He then glanced over to James, who seemed weary and on edge.  The day had taken its toll on everyone.

"_Mobilicorpus,_" Mrs. Potter murmured, waving her wand gently.  Ani slowly drifted up off of Sirius, and he carefully removed her fingers from their hold on him, lifting himself up off the bed where they'd eventually settled.  As Mrs. Potter lowered Ani to the bed once again, Sirius carefully draped a folded quilt over her.  He paused for a moment, brushing hair away from her eyes, when James' mother said—gentle but firm—"Sirius, we have to go now."

"Alright."  He turned and left the room, carefully closing the door behind him.  Mrs. Potter descended the stairs first, her son behind her and Remus and Sirius at the rear.  As he walked down the wooden stairs, Sirius' mind was on fire.

He inhaled and the scent of lemons swarmed his senses.  _My shirt smells like Ani's hair,_ he thought, and for some reason the thought sent a wave of irritation—and something else—sweeping through him.

In his distraction, his foot missed a step and he nearly toppled down the stairs.  Instead, he stumbled into Remus, who shot back a filthy look.  Sirius repressed an urge to reach out and send his friend toppling down the stairs, but clenched his fits again, schooling his pique down.  _What is wrong with me?_ he asked himself incredulously.  His temper, though easy to inflame, wasn't usually so volatile.  James had the tendency to put his frustrations into action, Sirius was more accustomed to sneers and verbal flames.  _Growing up in my house,_ he thought, _I couldn't exactly help it._

Cassie Hellsing, along with Peter, Lily, her parents, and James' father, stood in the kitchen, waiting for them as they descended.  "Are you sure you won't stay the night?" Cassie Hellsing asked.  Her grief of earlier had faded to a dull quiet and she seemed calm as she took Mrs. Potter by the hands.  "It's so late for traveling, and you've all been so good to stay here with me.  We've got more than enough room."

Mrs. Potter kissed Mrs. Hellsing on the cheek and Sirius thought that Cassie suddenly looked no older than her sleeping daughter.  "We've been underfoot long enough," she said, patting the other woman's hand.  "I must get these boys home.  But Harold and I will check in with you every so often, to see if there's anything at all you need."  She glanced over at Blodwen Evans.  "Will you stay with her for us?"

"Of course."  Lily's mother put a warm arm around her neighbor.  "I'll take good care of her.  Lily," she said to her daughter, "perhaps you ought to go up to bed with Ani.  She'll want someone there when she wakes up."

"Alright, Mum," Lily said.  She moved towards the stairs but then paused and did something that shocked Sirius.  She reached out and hugged each of the Marauders in turn, first Peter, then Remus, then himself, and finally James.  Exchanging dazed looks, they all hugged her back—what else could they do?  She lingered the longest with James and they looked at one another for a long moment as Lily pulled back and murmured, "Goodnight."  She rushed up the stairs and out of sight.

"We'll check in with you tomorrow," Mrs. Potter said as Cassie Hellsing offered out a cup of Floo powder.  The Marauders each took a pinch.  "Try to get some sleep.  Harold will Apparate first and then you can take the Floo, Remus, darling."

"Thank you again," Mrs. Hellsing said to James' father and the occupants of the kitchen watched as the older man disappeared.  She looked at the boys and offered a weak smile.  "It was nice to meet you all.  I'm always glad to know Ani's friends from school.  Remus, your father is John Lupin, isn't he?  Would you… tell him that Cephas says hello, won't you?  They were friends in school, he'd want to say hi to him."  Her smile wavered.  "I'm sure they'll both be glad you and Ani are friends."

The werewolf nodded and took a pinch of the Floo powder.  "I'll be sure do that, Mrs. Hellsing," he said.  To the others, he said, "I'll see you at my house."  He threw down the powder and stepped into the green flames, calling out, "Moonflower Cottage!"  The flames whirled and engulfed him and soon he was gone.

Mrs. Potter instructed Peter into the fire and then turned and beckoned for Sirius.  "Your turn, love, and then James."

He moved towards the fire, then hesitated.  He glanced over his shoulder and said, "Go ahead, James."

Mrs. Hellsing gave him a curious look as Sirius crossed the kitchen.  He spied a spare bit of parchment on the counter beneath a pile of cookbooks and gently unearthed it.  Ignoring the curious looks of the others, he drew out his wand—_Underage magic be damned,_ some inner voice whispered—and carefully emblazoned the parchment with his name and address and, as an afterthought, the Potters' address.

He gave it to Ani's mother.  "Would you please give this to Ani?" he asked, stumbling and nervous, the words spilling forth unbidden.  "And tell her to write to me and James at his house?"

"Of course, dear," Mrs. Hellsing said, and she carefully tucked the parchment into the pocket of one of her robes.   "I'll see that she gets it."

Sirius nodded his thanks and, before he could rethink what he'd done or James could comment, he stepped into the fireplace.  A moment later the green flames enveloped him.

---

"Ani, love?  Can I come in?"

"Of course, Mum," Ani replied.  She carefully placed her quill back into the inkpot and pushed her letter to Sirius off to one side.  "Where's Rion?" she asked automatically.

Cassie Hellsing gave her daughter an exhausted smile.  "I just checked up on him," she said as she perched on the edge of Ani's unmade bed.  "He's over at the Liondragon's Lair, taking care of things and arranging for Chaz to put in some extra hours."

Ani nodded and tilted back in her chair to eye her mother speculatively.  She looked—no point in trying to deny it—terrible.  The dark curls she shared with her daughter were matted down against her head and her eyes seemed darker than ever, ringed by bruise-like circles.  Yet despite her initial hysterics, in the face of all the trauma, Cassie Hellsing had remained strong.  Any doubt as to whether or not her mother was the strongest woman alive had instantly evaporated as Ani watched, somewhat helplessly, as her mother nursed her fallen child and mourned over her missing husband.

The Healer they'd called in had banished Ani from her brother's bedside, leaving her feeling like the house's sole resident as her mother refused to leave Lynx's side.  She haunted the garden rather than stay inside, preferring the solitude and the scent of plants and sunlight to rattling around in the empty rooms.  But one night, as the her mother was escorting the Healer, who needed new supplies, to the fireplace, Ani had managed to sneak past him and peered into Rion's bedroom where their eldest brother still lay.

The blood had been washed away, but the deep, angry red wand wounds stayed on his skin, a scalding reminder of the incident a week before.  He fretted all the time in his sleep—Ani's nights were haunted by Lynx's screams, and she had steadily lost more and more sleep until their mother had put a Silencing charm on the room—and had yet to open his eyes.  Seeing her brother, her active, lively, laughing brother lost somewhere between dreams and waking, was too much for Ani to handle.  It had begun to haunt her sleep now, leaving her laying awake into the wee hours of the morning.  She hadn't had a decent sleep since that night she'd fallen asleep with Sirius at her side.  Her dreams were stirring, strange, dark, and Ani was loath to submit to them.

Needless to say, she hadn't been back to her brother's room.  But her mother had never left and barely paused to eat or sleep, opting instead to stay at her son's side.

With a gentle tone that she didn't know she possessed in her voice, Ani moved to sit next to her mother on the bed and suggested, "Mum, why don't you go take a hot bath and try to kip a bit?  You look exhausted.  I'll go up and sit with Lynx."  She paused, mulling over her words, then said suspiciously, "By the way, why aren't you with Lynx now?  You haven't left him in almost six days."

"Healer Martenson is up there with him now," her mother responded, "and I don't need to kip, I'm fine."  _Liar,_ Ani thought.  "Besides, I came down to talk to you for a reason."

Her mother's words instantly set Ani on edge.  She tried for lightness, joking, "O.W.L. results can't be in yet, can they?  Surely mine weren't _that_ bad!"

The attempt was rewarded with a wry smile.  "No, they're not in yet, but your marks have always been exceptional," Mrs. Hellsing replied.  "Better than the boys' ever were.  Your father and I have always been very proud of you."

"Thanks, but that's not why you came down, I know," Ani said.  "So what is it?"

"I need you to pack a bag for yourself, we're going to London tomorrow."

They were silent for a moment.  _That's too easy,_ Ani worried.  She hedged cautiously, "Okay… Why are we going to London?"

With a drained sigh, Mrs. Hellsing reached out and smoothed her daughter's hair.  When her mother spoke, her voice was calm but flat, as though feeling had been replaced with resignation.  A distinct feeling of trepidation filled Ani's heart.  "Healer Martenson doesn't think Lynx is getting any better," she began slowly.  "He thinks we need to consider having him lodged in Ward 49 at St. Mungo's Hospital in London… maybe permanently."

"Mum!" Ani cried out, leaping up.  "They put Professor Rignora's son into Ward 49 after a memory charm he tried to use for his N.E.W.T.s backfired!  People don't leave Ward 49.  You can't tell me you're considering it?  Lynx is going to be fine, it's only been a few days!"

"Honey, please, come on, sit down."  Her mother reached out and took her wild-eyed daughter's hand, easing her down.  Ani gulped for air and fought for her composure, feeling as though she'd swallowed a block of ice.  "Either way, Lynx needs more than just one Healer for medical attention.  He's not well, poppet, and I can't take care of him properly here."

Ani tried to speak, but her mother held up a hand and pushed on.  "At this point, we're just going to see what some other Healers have to say," Mrs. Hellsing said, her voice firm but gentle.  "Rion is going to stay with Chaz in his flat so he can tend to the restaurant, but I just don't feel comfortable leaving you.  Normally you could stay with Lily, but not this time, okay?  I just don't think it's safe, and everyone else agrees."

Her ears perked up, but outwardly all she did was nod.  Though the Ministry agents had cleared out after the first few days, Ani was unable to shake the feeling that they were constantly under surveillance.  It did little to assuage her suspicions when she was walking through the garden one day and saw a gaggle of garden gnomes fleeing and shaking their fists at what seemed to be a perfectly ordinary tea-rose bush.  She came out later that evening to find that the bush—which she had thought seemed out of place—had shifted exactly one foot to the left.  That had put her on edge, but a gentle probing with her wand had produced no result.

Odd indeed.

Thinking of this incident, Ani said to her mother, "Mum, what's going on?  It's been a week, and I'm still in the dark.  Can you tell me anything?  Do we know any more about what happened to Dad, or who did this to Lynx?  And does anyone know where Blythe is?  When are they going to tell us something?"

Mrs. Hellsing sighed again, and Ani discovered how very tired she was of hearing the sound.  "I don't know anymore than you do, my love," she said, tucking one leg up to her chest like a young girl.  "As for Daddy, well… your father is a very influential man, Ani.  Very influential and very opinionated, and a lot of people don't like that."

"Is this about the Pureblood Sanctity Act?"

"Yes," Mrs. Hellsing said slowly, "we think it might be.  Daddy thinks it's an ignorant, dangerous act and he feels that the time to take action against it is now.  Unfortunately, not everyone agrees.  What all have you heard about that, Ani?"

"Not very much," she admitted.  "I heard you and Daddy talking about it the day after I got home from school.  Otherwise I just know that most of the kids my age think it's stupid."

"Even Sirius?"

Ani looked quickly at her mother, whose blue eyes were just a bit too innocent.  "Come to think of it, I haven't really discussed it much with Sirius," she said reproachfully.  "Why do you ask?"

Her mother caught her tone and chided, "Don't get sharp, young lady.  You're not stupid, Ani, and neither am I, and both of us know what kind of a family Sirius is from.  I'm not saying he's not a nice boy, mind you… I was just wondering if you'd heard him say anything about the Act, that's all."

"We don't talk about it," Ani said stiffly.  "It's not an important topic of conversation."

Seemingly satisfied, Mrs. Hellsing pushed up off the bed.  "We'll leave early tomorrow morning," she said, signaling the end of the conversation.  "I'll wake you when it's time to go.  Please have your bag packed by then."  She kissed Ani's hair and squeezed her shoulder.  "Goodnight, darling, pleasant dreams."

Ani watched as her mother moved slowly from the room and went back down the hall to Lynx.  A feeling of loss that she'd never known before welled up within her.  Visions crowded into Ani's skull of Lynx's slack face, pale against white sheets, alone in a stark room, his moaning the only echo through the silence.  The vision shifted to one of her mother, her face aged beyond her time, haggard and gaunt with tears glistening in a slow, unstoppable stream.

Her fists clenched without her realizing it and the corners of her eyes began to burn uncontrollably.  She would not let that happen.

Resolved, she moved back to her desk and promptly balled up her parchment, pulling loose a fresh sheet.  A few moments later, having written so rapidly that the parchment was splattered with ink, she chirruped deep in her throat, calling Ghost to perch on her shoulder as she bound her notes around his foot.  "Don't dawdle," she told the bird firmly.  "We're on a mission."

Ghost nibbled her ear in the affirmative and instantly swooped off Ani's shoulder into the still night.  Edgy and with sleep hours away, Ani lay on her bed and stared unblinkingly at the ceiling.  The time to take action was indeed now.


	11. Ani's Plan

**Disclaimer: **I do not own any of the rights to the Harry Potter characters. They belong to J.K. Rowling, who lets us play with them from time to time. The Hellsing family as well as any other non-HP characters are my own, so please respect my rights to them as well.

**Author's Note:** I'm sorry, sorry, SORRY for the delay. Just as I started complaining about the job market, I found myself a job. Needless to say, that's taking up a fair amount of my time. But fear not! I will strive to continue with fairly constant updates. Also, I want to extend my great thanks to all my reviewers: your praise is heartening and your interest is what keeps me going. Again, thank you!

---

"Where is she?"

James looked up from his book to where Sirius stood, his hands thrown up and his eyes blazing. His normally elegant hair was rumpled from the constant raking of his fingers and his limbs twitched nervously. The resemblance between Sirius' human and animal forms was suddenly undeniable—his hunched shoulders perfectly mirrored a dog poising to lunge.

James glanced at his watch. "It's only a quarter 'til three," he reminded his friend, who had been pacing up and down the length of the Leaky Cauldron. "We were an hour early in case you've forgotten, Master Black."

Sirius snarled under his breath. "Still," he muttered as he resumed his pacing.

"Sit down, would you?" James asked, lazily pushing out the extra chair with his foot. "You're driving me bats."

"I'm fine," Sirius deterred.

"Come on now. You'll give yourself blisters, pacing around like that," a cool voice noted. "Give your feet a rest."

The boys' heads shot up to see Remus standing over the table, a light summer cloak thrown over his shoulders, the hood throwing his drawn face into relief. James grinned at his friend as Remus eased into the extra chair and gave him a cuff on the shoulder. "Fancy meeting you here," he joked to Remus and signaled their pretty blond waitress for another butterbeer. Lowering his arm, James glanced at Sirius, wary as to what to expect, and was somewhat relieved to see impassivity instead of anger written over the dark boy's face.

"What're you doing in London?" Sirius asked, a slight current running through his voice.

"You didn't think you were the only one Ani wrote to, did you?" Remus responded in a voice only a few degrees cooler than his usual tone. "She sent Ghost to me last night… I guess he went on from my place to yours." He nodded to James.

"Well then," James said a bit too heartily, hoping to abate the tension, "all it seems we're missing now is the lady of the hour." He glanced down at his watch again. "We've got a few minutes. Drink up, lads, this round's on me!"

They sipped their drinks and James felt an inkling of relief. After a bit, Sirius and Remus seemed to have forgotten their animosity—_And what on earth is that all about anyway?_ James wondered absently—as they discussed the latest Wimbourne Wasps' Quidditch match. He, James, settled back and nursed his butterbeer, pleased that all seemed right again.

The Cauldron's ancient grandfather clock had finished booming the threes when a movement at the door caught James' eyes. Ani Hellsing was moving towards their table, her arm twined through her best friend's. Lily's bright green eyes fell on his and, doing his best to ignore the twinge of exhilaration in his chest, James raised his hand in greeting.

Returning the gesture, Ani unthreaded her arm from Lily's and led her through the crowded pub to where the boys sat. Remus stood to greet them and Sirius rose to borrow two more chairs from a neighboring table. James opened his mouth to make a joke—this was probably the one and only time that the Marauders would ever arrive to anything before punctual prefect Lily—but as Ani slid into a chair and slumped over, the humor died on his tongue. Wisps of curls fell into her tired eyes and she looked nearly as haggard as Remus did just after the full moon.

Remus, his warm eyes shuttered with concern, asked gently, "Everything all right, Ani?"

She managed a half smile and shrugged. Lily, smoothing her long Muggle skirt primly over her even longer legs (James forced his brain away from the vivid and inappropriate thoughts that had begun to crowd in) as she settled down, said quietly, "She's just come from St. Mungo's. They've been there since dawn, waiting while the Healers examine Lynx… I came by Floo not too long ago."

"How is he?" Sirius asked in a voice that James had never heard him use before.

"He'll be fine," Ani answered resolutely.

_Ah_, James thought sadly, catching Lily's gaze as it flitted past his once more. _Ani seems to need more convincing of that than we do._

As though she'd heard his thoughts, Ani shook herself firmly, and flashed a smile that was more like her usual one. "Lynx will be fine," she repeated. "But that isn't at all why I asked you all to join me here." She glanced around the table as though she were only seeing them for the first time. "Where's Peter?" She glanced at Remus. "I thought you were going to send on to tell him to meet us here as well."

"He's off in Wales visiting his grandparents," Remus replied. "He wouldn't have been able to make it."

"Just as well," Lily retorted grimly. "The fewer of us that are involved in this mad scheme, the better."

Even though he knew it would earn him a flaying from the green swords in Lily's eyes, James felt himself perk up at the mention of mischief. "A mad scheme, eh?" he chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "That's my type of girl, Ani," he added, hoping to coax another smile out of her. "Our summer has been entirely too dull."

Ani managed another smile for him while, as anticipated, Lily pinned James down with a glare. "I should think," she hissed, "that in light of recent events, even you would admit that we've had entirely too much mischief for one summer."

"Nonsense, Evans," Sirius interceded, somewhat lessening the uncomfortable squirming sensation James had gotten under her glare. "When you're a Marauder, no mischief is too much."

"Exactly right, Sirius." Ani nodded sharply. "That's why I asked all of you to come here… The more people who are willing to help, the better, and I knew you three would be just right for the job."

"What," Remus began slowly, "does this plan have to do with, exactly, Ani?"

A strange, glittering light came into Ani's eyes and her expression lit with determination. "My father," she answered instantly. "My father and my brother and Blythe. I think I know what happened to them… and we can't let the people who did it get away with it." She glanced at Lily, whose face was rigid with anger and something else—James recognized it as fierce, all-consuming fear. "Lily thinks that the idea is too dangerous: maybe she's right. But even so, I can't just sit around while my Dah and my friend are in trouble." Her fists clenched on the table and, as though it were subconscious, Sirius moved without blinking to cover her hand with his own.

_Interesting_, James thought as he watched Remus' eyes flare. _ Very interesting._

Ani's fingers relaxed under Sirius' hand and she went on. "I have to do something," she repeated. "Sitting around, watching my mother lose sleep and pick at her food… it's making me crazy." Her eyes burned ever more brightly and, not for the first time in the years they'd known each other, James suspected that the power inside of Ani Hellsing was something to beware. "So I need you to help me," she finished finally, looking around the table imploringly. "I can't do this by myself."

They were all quiet for a moment. His initial enthusiasm having waned, James began to feel that somehow, somewhere along the way, they'd gotten in over their heads.

It was Remus who broke the silence, and as the words came from his mouth, James felt his own jaw drop. "Of course we'll help you," Remus assured her firmly. "We all will. Just tell us what to do."

James glanced across the table to find his thoughts echoed across Sirius's face._ Remus? _he thought incredulously. _Isn't he supposed to be the sensible one? Since when does he throw caution to the wind?_

"Good," Ani said, and her voice—the fever behind it gone—was now bleak. "I know what we have to do… the thing is, I just don't know how we're going to do it."

---

Lily suggested that they ask the landlord for a private parlor—"If you insist on discussing this idiocy, we don't need to do it in the middle of a crowded common room," she sniffed, and despite her harsh words, Ani squeezed her hand—and went off to inquire. She was back a few minutes later, motioning for them to follow her up the stairs.

Pulling the hood of her cloak low to hide her face (Malius Baldrick from the Department of Disappearances had already advised Ani and her brother and mother to keep their business to themselves), Ani followed Lily up the winding stairs. They led the boys into an octagonal room with a large round table in its center. Remus shut the door firmly behind them while Ani wandered over to the window. Wrapping the hem of her cloak over her hand, she absently wiped the dust away, bringing a ray of light filtering through the dirty window. She closed her eyes briefly, leaning against the windowpane. The day had stretched on for what seemed to be years—all she wanted was a bath and a bed. _ But not yet,_ she told herself. _Now there is business to see to._

Ani and her mother had arrived at St. Mungo's just as the sun had risen. Healer Martenson had left before them in hopes of getting Lynx to the front of the line for examinations. The hospital, tucked in the depths of London, was busy even at the unholy hour. So while her mother queued up to ask the Help Desk witch as to where they were to go next, Ani thankfully dozed (albeit fitfully) in a squashy orange armchair.

They'd spent the rest of the morning threading through the maze of halls that made up the beehive of St. Mungo's. Ani had always entertained thoughts of being a Healer—the fixation had begun when, at the tender age of six, she'd been brought in when she found and inadvertently jinxed herself with her mother's wand while Mrs. Hellsing had been chatting with her cousin via Floo. While the Healer, dressed in bright lime green hospital-wear, made jokes with her and carefully cleaned the remaining ladybugs out of Ani's ears, Ani had been wide-eyed with admiration and envy. The dizzying rush of Healers and their assistants rushing to and fro told Ani that she could never work in an office building, never sit at a desk: this is where the action was.

Now, nearly ten years later, Ani wasn't sure she ever wanted to return to St. Mungo's. All day her tension steadily built and she felt isolated and alone despite her mother's presence. They waited in a cool, sterile room with Lynx, who was magically bound to the examination table. The first Healer who had been in to see them had sympathetically given Lynx a draught to make him sleep after his steadily hoarsening screams had brought Cassie Hellsing to tears. Despite his initial kindness, however, his words held no comfort for the Hellsing women.

"Worst of its kind we've seen yet…not much we can do for now. Come back tomorrow, we'll keep him here tonight."

Her insides clenched as she thought about it. A taste for revenge Ani had never known she possessed welled up within her. Under any other circumstance, the blackness that was steadily filling Ani's soul would have alarmed her, but there was power behind her rage now. Gone was the helpless, directionless anger and fear that had taken hold of her during the first few days of her father's disappearance—now she had an enemy.

Moving abruptly away from the window, Ani settled into one of the chairs at the round table. One by one the others followed suit as though her motion were a call to order, and when they were all seated, Ani wasted no time on pretense. "This is about the Pureblood Sanctity Act," she began. "When we find the ones who support it, the ones who are willing to go to any and all costs—and above—to get rid of all the Muggles and Muggle-born, we'll find my Dah and Blythe." She tilted her head slightly to look at Sirius and James. "You said you'd be willing to help me," she went on, locking eyes with Sirius. "So I need you to tell me what, exactly, you told my brother Rion that sent him running off to find Lynx."

For a moment she thought they would refuse her as they exchanged a long, significant look and Ani prepared herself to give them both a vicious and thorough tongue-lashing. James must have seen something flash across her face, for it was he who rapidly filled her in on all they knew.

She felt oddly calm as she listened to James, with several instances of input from Sirius, speak in a low tense voice about a wizard called Voldemort and his visions of a Muggle and half-breed free world. A steady chill crept through her stomach—a reaction that had nothing to do with temperature. _He's mad,_ Ani thought, her certainty startling even to herself. _ Only a madman would try to "cleanse" his own people. _From the corner of her eye Ani could see Lily's cheeks begin to drain of color. Mildly concerned, Ani reached out and gripped her best friend's hand and listened to the rest of James' account stoically. Her heart rose slightly in her chest when he told them of Dumbledore's attempts at organization against Lord Voldemort.

Sirius, his eyes schooled carefully onto Ani, interrupted James cautiously. "We're not sure if that bit is true," he said, his voice directed at them all but his eyes fixed upon Ani. "All we have is hearsay." Ani only half-listened to his warning, however—if anyone were to restore order to a world that Ani was sure was slowly going mad, it would be Dumbledore.

The room went quiet as James finished and Ani was vaguely aware of her friends staring at her warily, as though she might lash out at any moment. Still somewhat surprised at her cool, Ani let out a slow, loaded breath.

"Do you still have that parchment with you, by any chance? The one with V-Voldemort's symbol on it?" she asked him.

James nodded and rummaged in the pocket of his jacket. He handed it to Remus, who passed it to Lily, who gave it with trembling hands to Ani. She held the parchment flat and her palm and stared at it for a long, tense moment, until when she finally blinked the image was burned onto the blackness behind her eyes. "Well," she said, her voice lighter than her mood, "if we're looking for a group who would do anything to get rid of Muggles, these would be the ones to go after." She slid the parchment back to James and leaned back in her chair, her mind mulling over the information. "Now we just have to find them."

Lily spoke up, her voice trembling almost imperceptibly. "Ani, think about this: we don't even know that these people are the ones who took your dad. I admit that it's the most plausible—not to mention the only—theory we have," she hastily added as Ani made an incredulous noise through her nose. "But it's just that, Ani, a theory. I mean, let's say these… these people did take your dad. Why on earth would they bring this thing with them and then leave it behind? It just doesn't make any sense, Ani."

"Unless…"

Ani's eyes flew to Remus. "Unless what?"

He leaned back in his chair and put his hand over his eyes. Throughout the telling of James' story Remus had kept his eyes focused at a point over Ani's head, lost in thought. Now he had spread his hands out over the table and was tapping his nails against the wood. "Unless that parchment belonged to your dad and not the person who took him," he mused slowly. The drumming of his fingers hastened, as though he could speed up his thought process with his hands. "Like… maybe the person who took him… found it… and that's how they knew that he knew about them. And then he dropped it… on an accident, you know?"

Sirius frowned. "Where would he have left it so that someone could find it?" he asked Remus, and from somewhere in the back of her mind Ani noticed that the tension that had previously tainted his voice when speaking to Remus was now gone. "They couldn't have gotten it from the Hellsings' house: even if they came in the dead of night, Ani's mum or one of them would have heard them."

"Maybe," Remus replied thoughtfully, "they got it from somewhere else…" He glanced down into Ani's eyes. "Your dad works at the Ministry of Magic, right?"

"Yeah," Ani admitted. "He works in the International Magical Office of Law, fifth level." She closed her eyes and thought back to the day after her return from Hogwarts. "I guess that's why he was so upset about that article that talked about the Pureblood Sanctity Act," she thought aloud. "That law would fall under his jurisdiction, wouldn't it? I mean, you know my Dah," she said to Lily. "He'd be livid if someone tried to pass a law right under his nose, especially if it's something he disagrees with so strongly."

"I imagine," James cautiously stated, "that your father—and by association anyone else who thinks Voldemort's mad in his office—would be really valuable to Dumbledore's order."

Sirius leaned across the table. "So we agree then? The people who took Ani's dad must have found that paper in his office; if they were trying to snuff out—" Ani winced and Lily scowled but Sirius plowed on "—people who might prove powerful against them, the Ministry would be one of the first places they'd look!"

James chimed in excitedly. "So if we want to find out who took him, the first thing we have to do is search his office—see if we can find anything that the kidnappers might have missed!"

"Don't be daft," Remus and Lily said in one voice, and Ani had to work to squash a sympathetic smile as James looked somewhat abashedly at them. "There's no way we can just barge into the Ministry of Magic and start rummaging through Cephas' desk," Lily, whose voice had lost none of its edge, informed James. "Especially if there are people who were watching him lurking around nearby."

"What we need," a somewhat gentler Remus stated, "is someone in the office whom we're sure would be on Dumbledore and Ani's dad's side, someone we could talk to and get some straight answers." He looked to Ani. "Any ideas?"

Frowning, she tilted back in her chair and put a hand over her eyes, blocking out the light that had begun to agitate the beginnings of a dull headache. A thought came to her suddenly. "Caradoc Dearborn," she decided, opening her eyes to meet Remus' gaze. "We can talk to him."

"Who is he?" Sirius asked with a frown.

"He's one of the junior officers in the office," Ani explained. "Kind of like my dad's assistant. I've met him a couple of times, Mum's had him around to dinner before… he's about Lynx's age. Dah says that if it weren't for new recruits like Dearborn that the Ministry would be doomed straight for hell." She nodded affirmatively, more than ever convinced. "I even know where he lives," she added as the extra information burst into her mind. "It's not too far from here."

James pushed to his feet. "Let's go now," he directed. "We don't have time to waste."

But Remus was shaking his head before James had even finished. "He's probably still at the office," he said, glancing at his watch. "And we can't just hang around London until we're sure he's home, nor can we hang around the Ministry. It'd look too suspicious." His warm eyes fell on Ani again. "Especially if word of what's happened to your dad has gotten around… people will wonder why Cephas Hellsing's daughter is lurking around his office. And I know that your mother wants to keep this as low-key as possible."

"You're right," Sirius said, and James nodded, looking discouraged. "How long do you think you'll be in London, Ani?"

"They want to keep Lynx for a few more days at least," Ani said, sinking into her seat heavily. "We're not going anywhere."

"Well then, let's try to go and visit him on Saturday," Remus suggested. "Around time for lunch, maybe. That wouldn't be as strange, especially if you've met him before."

"Can we all make it back here on Saturday?" Lily asked practically. "Oh, Ani, don't look at me that way," she said, exasperated, just as Ani was glancing at her with undisguised disapproval. "Of course we'll be going with you… it's not wise for you to be going off on your own. Anything could happen. In fact," she continued, "I really think you ought not to leave St. Mungo's by yourself anymore."

"She's right, Ani," Remus said over Ani's strangled noise of protest. He ignored the dirty look she shot at him. "It's not safe—at least three people have either vanished or been hurt. If you're not with your mother or one of us, you ought to stay inside the Hospital. I don't think anyone will try to attack you there."

Ani struggled for an argument and found none. "Oh, all right then," she resigned angrily. "We'll meet back here on Saturday at noon." She heaved a sigh and stood up, pulling her cloak around her once more. "Come on, Evans, let's get you off in the Floo before I get any more restrictions put on me."

She moved for the exit and felt a brief twinge in her chest. Though she couldn't see her, she could feel Lily's crestfallen expression. Guilt surged through her once more. _Brat,_ she thumped herself mentally. _All she wants to do is help you and here you are, snapping at her like an ill-tempered Krup. _

Consternate now, she turned around as she reached the door. Three sets of eyes of varying degrees of brown and one of glittery green met hers. She cleared her throat. "I want you to know," she began, and her voice was strangely hoarse, "that I really do appreciate your help… all of you. I know this isn't the ideal way to spend the summer. So thank you."

Her eyes began to feel suspiciously bright and Ani glanced away, embarrassed. An arm tucked through hers and she glanced up to smile into her best friend's face. "Of course," she said gently. "What are friends for?"

---

James watched Remus swirl and vanish within the green flames, and then turned to Ani. "We'll walk you to St. Mungo's and then Floo back," he told her. "I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, but it'll make me feel better if we walk with you. Okay?"

"Suit yourself," Ani said and worry twitched through James as he saw how pale and drawn she seemed after the meeting.

Sirius must have noticed too, for he stepped in with a joke. "It's not that we want to take care of you or anything, Hellsing," he said in that lofty, arrogant voice that James personally hadn't heard enough of since their departure from Hogwarts. "It's just that I'm sure Evans will properly hex us both if she finds out we didn't give you a proper escort."

The ploy worked and Ani laughed appreciatively. James relaxed. "It's true," Ani said as they pushed through the door of the Leaky Cauldron and into the bustle of Diagon Alley. "She might not look like much, but that Lily's a mean one."

"Oh, she looks like much, all right," James muttered and Sirius and Ani laughed again. "Come on, Hellsing, give it to me straight," he said, a corner of his mouth quirking up. "How much begging will I have to do to get Lily to go out with me?"

Ani pretended to look deep in thought. "That all depends," she deadpanned. "How much gold have you got?"

The three of them laughed and cut up as they left Diagon Alley and went quickly through Muggle London. Their banter was so distracting that James felt vaguely surprised when they appeared at the abandoned department store window that disguised the entrance to St. Mungo's. "Here we are," Ani said, the laughter gone out of her voice. She looked gloomily in through the window as though it were Azkaban prison and she a lifetime prisoner.

"Maybe we can come visit you before Saturday," Sirius suggested and Ani glanced up hopefully. "Mr. Potter always enjoys coming into London, and I know Mrs. Potter wanted to see how your mum was doing."

"I'd like that," Ani said softly. Her eyes glowed as they looked up into Sirius', and suddenly James had the sensation that he'd like to be somewhere, anywhere else.

The glow flickered and faded as Ani spoke again. "Are you sure you want to come back to London?" she asked Sirius gravely. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd love to see you both… But I don't want you to come back if there's a chance you might run into your dad."

James, stunned, cut his eyes to Sirius and focused intently on the still face. _ Did Sirius say something to Ani and not to me?_ he wondered indignantly. _ I'm his best friend!_ But the thought was gone as soon as it had surfaced. Sirius' impassive face told James all he needed to know. No—Ani was waiting for an answer. It wasn't a statement: it was a question, a request for trust.

Sirius tilted his head back, his dark hair falling away from his face and he let out a low sigh. He straightened and stretched one arm out to Ani. She moved into him and he put the arm around her shoulders, tugging her close and hugging her briefly. Ani sealed her eyes shut and put her arms around Sirius, and James had to look away from their faces—the trespass would have been too great.

"Don't worry about my father," Sirius said gruffly. "Let's focus on yours."

She nodded and pulled away. That was as close to an admission as they would get, James knew. "I'll see you on Saturday," Ani said softly. She reached out and squeezed James' forearm in farewell, then spoke softly to the mannequin in the window. The life-sized model twitched a finger forward and with a wave of farewell, Ani stepped through the sheet glass, leaving Sirius and James alone on the street.


	12. Caradoc Dearborn and Aeryn Solmere

**Disclaimer: **Hail to the Queen of the Quill, J.K. Rowling, who has created such glorious characters and who lets us play with them in our little fanfic worlds. May she be forever blessed. Millions of thanks to the Harry Potter Lexicon and all other HP sites for their unintentional inspiration.

**Author's Note:** The end is in sight! What will Caradoc Dearborn tell Ani, Lily and the Marauders about Cephas' disappearance? What plan will they use to save Cephas when and if they find him? All will soon be revealed! Thank you all for your patience and encouragement—they are deeply appreciated. As I said, I'm wrapping up this story in my mind and am already well on my way to building the second installment. So stay tuned! In other news, I have it from a friend who has read the official J.K. Rowling website (which I have yet to have time to check) that the name of the sixth Harry Potter will be entitled Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Again, that's just hearsay, but my sources are quite reliable. Hearing that got me really excited; I can't wait for it! And now, without further ado, back to the Marauders.

---

In spite of the knot that had been forming in his stomach since breakfast, Remus laughed when Ani charged through the glass in front of St. Mungo's and launched herself into his arms.

"Thank God," she said as Remus tried to disentangle himself from her unexpected but thrilling hug. "If I had to stay in there ten minutes longer I'd have gone nutters."

"Bit bored, are we?" Remus asked with a grin.

"Wretchedly so," she confirmed, but her face was alight for some reason more than just an afternoon of freedom. He wondered what the cause was but didn't have to wait long, for as they turned down the street away from the hospital, Ani blurted out excitedly, "They think they know what curses those bastards used on Lynx, Remus, and they think they know a way to help him!"

Her relief was palpable and contagious, and Remus had never meant anything more than when he said warmly, "That's fantastic, Ani!"

"'Course, it's a new kind of treatment," Ani said, skipping a step to keep up with Remus' longer strides. "They're not sure how long it will take, or how effective it will be, but at least it's something, right?" She threw up a hand and waved as they rounded a corner and saw James, Sirius and Lily sitting on a bench, all dressed in Muggle clothing. "This is a good sign, Remus," she went on happily. "They're going to fix Lynx, and Dearborn is going to tell us where my dad is. I just know it!"

He smiled down at her, feeling like an indulgent parent to an excited child, but kept his thoughts to himself. He couldn't bring himself to deflate Ani's high hopes, but a wary voice within told him that the mission they undertook today would be much, much more difficult than they'd hitherto imagined.

After Ani had hugged all the others and excitedly told them the news concerning her brother, James—their unofficial ringleader—stood and faced them. "We'd best be off," he commented. "Don't want to stand around, drawing attention to ourselves."

The others nodded their agreement while Remus hid a smile. Behind James' no-nonsense, cut-to-the-chase demeanor there was a glimmer of excitement. No matter what obstacle faced them, the excitement of having a mission to complete had pricked at his adventuresome spirit. Lily met Remus' eyes and rolled hers predictably, but he caught an unmistakably affectionate smile playing about her mouth.

Caradoc Dearborn lived in Muggle London about half a mile away from where Diagon Alley lay hidden from ordinary eyes. Ani, having been there before, led the way with Lily at her side and the Marauders falling into guard behind the girls. From his point behind her, Remus could sense Ani's buoyant excitement becoming dampened by apprehension. He knew the others could feel it too, and it was a very quiet group of teenagers that arrived at number 4 Hathaway Place, the very top flat of a redbrick tenement building.

Pushing her hair out of her eyes, Ani rapped purposefully on the door, and took a respectful step back to wait. A young voice, deeper than Remus had expected, called out, "There in a moment!"

Footsteps sounded through the flat and a lock clicked as the door swung open. Caradoc Dearborn, with coal black hair, a straight, serious brow and eyes so blue that they seemed unnatural, pulled open the door, a preoccupied smile on his face. "You're early, Alb—" he began, and then clamped his mouth shut as he saw that his visitors were not who he had apparently expected. "Can I help you?" he began politely, his face telling them that he really had no time for nonsense. He scanned each of their faces in turn and stopped in undisguised shock when he looked at Ani.

"Ani Hellsing!" he gaped, astonished. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Mr. Dearborn," Ani said politely. "I was just—"

"Ani, you know it's Caradoc, first of all," the young man reproached absently, then jumped as though he'd been prodded with a sharp stick. "What on Earth are you doing here by yourself? Come in, come in."

He bundled the girls and the Marauders into his apartment with the air of a gracious host, but as he moved past him, Remus caught his eyes darting back and forth frantically down the hall, looking for some invisible spy.

After introductions were made, Ani began apologetically, "I'm sorry we barged in on you like this, Caradoc." She followed Lily and the others into the sitting room and perched on the edge of a couch. She hedged on, apparently uncertain as to how much Dearborn did or did not know about her current situation. "But I'm in London with my mother and Lynx—"

"Oh?" Dearborn asked, his voice a shade anxious. "I had, um, heard he wasn't well." The statement was purposely vague, but the look on his face told them all that he knew more than he was letting on. "Would you all like some tea?" he asked, as though eager to change the subject.

"Sure," Ani responded vaguely as the others nodded. She fiddled uneasily with her fingers, twisting them in her lap, until Lily shot her a pointed look. She cleared her throat as Dearborn reentered the room. "Caradoc, I guess you've noticed that my dad hasn't been into work in awhile now."

The young man paused mid-step and then continued towards them, bearing a tea tray with a kettle and several cups. "Yes, Cephas has been greatly missed at the office," he said, measuring each word like ingredients for a potion. "I hope he'll be back soon."

Ani took a deep, cleansing breath and took the plunge. Remus and the others tensed. "He won't be back anytime soon, Caradoc, because he's missing," she said, her voice low and anxious. "He's been gone for almost two and a half weeks and no one knows what's happened to him, not even the entire Department of Disappearances. I was… I guess I was kind of hoping you could tell us something," she finished lamely.

Dearborn looked deep in thought and Remus looked up and caught Sirius' eye. His friend—for whatever might pass between them, Sirius would always be his friend—gave a half shrug. _We won't be any worse off if he doesn't tell us,_ he seemed to say.

When their host did decide to speak, his voice had lost its measured quality. "Ani, I know you're worried about what's happened to your father," Dearborn chided gently. "We all are. And if I thought there was something I or someone at the office could do to help, you can be certain that I'd do it in an instant. But this is a matter best left to fully-grown wizards. Though it may seem otherwise to you, there are many qualified witches and wizards who are doing their very best to find your dad. Okay?"

This response, this downplaying of her concern, seemed to take the wind out of Ani. She looked helplessly around the group, silently imploring someone to take up her argument. In the end, it was James who reached into his robes and pulled out the telltale parchment. They had no other bargaining chip. "We found this at Ani's house," he said by means of explanation.

A guarded expression on his face, Dearborn took the parchment from James' outstretched hands and eyed the glowing green skull and snake. Something worked over his face that made Remus sit up and take notice. "Where did you say you found this?" he asked intently, not taking his eyes away from the parchment.

"At my house," Ani explained. "James' father found it. D'you recognize it?"

"Yes," he said slowly, running his fingers over the picture. "Yes, we found it the same night that Al…"

He stopped short, realizing he'd said too much, when suddenly another knock echoed through the flat. Dearborn swore lightly under his breath and pushed to his feet. "Ani, kids, you stay here," he ordered. He hurried to the door.

Instantly five set of eyes met. Sirius leaned forward and mouthed, _"What do you reckon?"_

James opened his mouth and was about to launch into his own theory when a figure in the doorway cut him off. Remus looked up slowly and found the piercing eyes of Albus Dumbledore staring back at him.

---

"Mr. Lupin. Mr. Black. Mr. Potter. Miss Hellsing. Miss Evans. An unexpected pleasure," Dumbledore greeted them, a smile gracing his lined face.

Ani felt her limbs shaking as she stood respectfully to greet her headmaster, who was accompanied by a stunning, slender woman with hair the color of cornsilk. _Dumbledore!_ The blood rushing through her head pounded in her ears. Why on Earth hadn't they first thought of Dumbledore? _It's his supposed bloody order,_ she reminded herself, livid that she hadn't thought of this before. _It'd make sense that, if anyone, he'd know what's happened to Dah! _

She chanced a glance over at James as Dumbledore conjured up two armchairs and settled down next to Dearborn, the tall woman settling on Dumbledore's left. From the flashing in his hazel eyes, she knew that James was thinking that very thing.

"Thank you, Caradoc," Dumbledore said, graciously accepting the tea that Dearborn had offered his guests. "Aeryn Solmere, I'd like you to meet several of Hogwarts finest students," he addressed the blond woman. "Ani, Lily, Remus, James and Sirius are all entering their sixth year." To his students, he said graciously, "This is Aeryn Solmere, an old and valued friend."

The five of them nodded politely as Aeryn Solmere graced them with the tiniest flicker of smiles. Ani could feel herself gaping at this noble woman, who moved like stream water over stones. She seemed somehow out of place in Caradoc's somewhat bare flat, but she was nothing but polite and gracious as she sipped the proffered tea. Ani caught a glimpse of her eyes and was shocked to see that they were even lighter than Dumbledore's, the color of fathomless water beneath a surface of ice. Up until that point Ani had entertained the thought that perhaps Aeryn Solmere was Dumbledore's daughter—the same serenity filled each of their faces. But at a glimpse of those eyes, she instantly knew better: Aeryn Solmere was of another breed entirely.

Dumbledore took another sip of tea and settled his teacup back on its saucer. He leveled a look at Ani with those pale blue eyes and asked mildly, "What brings you all into London?"

"Ani's father's gone missing, Professor," Lily blurted out. The relief that had washed over her when their headmaster had entered the room was visible even from where Ani sat. "We found this parchment with a skull and snake on it and we think it has something to do with the Pureblood Sanctity Act, because Cephas—Mr. Hellsing, I mean—has worked so hard to keep it from getting passed, and—" She paused for breath and checked herself at the incredulous looks her friends were giving her "—and we just wanted to talk to someone who might let Ani know more about what's going on," she finished.

"I see," Dumbledore said gravely. He looked around at Ani, who felt the air rush out of her lungs. There was an echo of sorrow in Dumbledore's eyes that plucked at Ani's heartstrings. That this man could feel such grief for her family touched her deeply. Aeryn Solmere tilted her head, a motion almost imperceptible, and fixed her remarkable gaze on Ani's face. "I inquired after your father not long ago and had heard, through some contacts in his office, that he had taken a leave of absence. This is untrue then?"

She shook her head slowly. It was uncertain for a moment, but in a blink Ani became certain, more certain than she'd ever been of anything in her life, that Dumbledore knew much more than he let on. Very well. She played along.

"No one's seen him for almost three weeks now, Professor," she said, careful to keep the suspicion out of her voice. "My mother is frantic with worry." She then filled in their headmaster on the events after their return from Bath, ending with Lynx's screams echoing through the corridors of St. Mungo's. "That's the real reason I want to know what's going on, sir," she concluded, her bold voice the only sound in the flat. "I'm frightened for my mother and my other brother, Rion, as well."

"Most understandably," Dumbledore replied graciously, the concern still writ over his face.

Dearborn, who had until this point remained silent, spoke carefully. "And you," he asked Ani, flicking a glance at Dumbledore, "isn't anyone frightened about you?"

"We are," Sirius said in a tight voice. Ani glanced at him: his face was still, but she could see the whites of his knuckles shining in his clenched fists.

"Do you have any idea about what's happening?" Remus hazarded, looking from Dearborn to their headmaster.

The old man sighed and set his tea down on the table before him, leaning back to clasp his hands. Suddenly he seemed greatly weary, the great weight of knowledge heavy on his already burdened shoulders. _He knew,_ she thought wildly to herself in a flare of anger, _he knew beforehand that something was going to happen! He should have warned us!_

"He did not know."

In her indignation, Ani heard the strange woman speak as though through a haze. She snapped her head around to behold Aeryn Solmere addressing her as directly as if she'd spoken aloud. Her silvery, bewitching eyes held reproach in their calm appraisal. "Your professor had neither the responsibility nor the ability to indicate to you that you or your family were anything but safe," she informed Ani, her voice cool and fluid, like mist. "He had only suspicions, and there was no need to alert you to danger. Nor—"

Dumbledore gently cleared his throat and Aeryn Solmere gracefully acceded, settling back into her chair and sipping her tea once more. Ani, chastened, felt hesitant to meet her headmaster's eyes, but when she did, the blue was like a balm. Her resentment faded.

"To answer your question, Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore said quietly, "I have only that—ideas. I cannot predict, I can only speculate." He looked at Ani again. "And if I could have guessed, could have foretold, that your father or brother or friend were in danger, Miss Hellsing, I assure you I would have taken every precaution. I hope you know this."

"I do, sir," Ani answered.

"However," he continued, his gravelly voice deepening in what Ani recognized as concern, "thanks to Aeryn Solmere, my ideas have more substance behind them."

Lily's eyes went wide. "Aeryn Solmere," she hesitated, "can you… are you a Seer?"

The woman tilted her head once more and smiled. "I am not," she responded. Her graceful hands spread in her lap. "Time is a tapestry that cannot be unraveled by the will of the mind alone. To try to do so would be as futile as to sit at a weaver's loom and follow a single thread through the pattern. I am, however, a keen observer, and therefore I can see things—physical things—that others cannot."

"Aeryn Solmere was visiting a neighboring clan of her sisters when she heard of the recent disappearances from Dumbledore," Dearborn took over. "There are no towns nearby, ordinary or magical. The past fortnight or so there has been an unusual activity in the moors surrounding their home."

"It is our… estimation," Dumbledore concluded, "that a wizard stylizing himself as Lord Voldemort—"

"We know about Voldemort," James interjected. He paused, embarrassed. "Sorry, Professor."

"Quite all right, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore accepted. "We believe that Voldemort and his followers have established their headquarters, so to speak, in those moors." He looked to Ani once more and paused, as if weighing the words on his tongue. "Your father will be there, in their midst."

Ani's heart leapt painfully into her throat as adrenaline pricked her fingertips. The sudden honesty both amazed and bewildered her. But the sensation was instantly replaced by an urgency that swept her dizzy. _She had to go to her father._

She pushed to her feet but was instantly caught by the wrist. She sat down hard as Lily pulled her back into her chair and James began to speak. The abrupt admission had struck James and Lily at the same time. "Professor," James started, "when we first got here, Mr. Dearborn wouldn't tell us anything. He said it wasn't our business and that this was a matter best left to older wizards. And now suddenly we're allowed to know everything that's going on? I'm afraid I don't understand, sir."

"We are older wizards, James," Aeryn Solmere reminded him, drawing herself up ramrod straight in her chair. "And we feel that Ani needs to know this information if her father is to live." Her eyes cut to Ani. "Your father needs you, Ani. You have to go to him."

The silence that filled the room was overwhelming, and when it was broken, it was two angry and shrill voices that split it.

"You cannot be serious!"

---

Lily exchanged a guilty look with Remus. Their angry outburst lingered over their heads like smoke, the tension palpable to the senses. Respect warred with indignation and respect won. "I'm sorry, Aeryn Solmere," she apologized stiffly, facing the woman who had put her nerves on edge. Aeryn Solmere had some strange, ethereal, ancient presence that piqued Ani's discomfort. "I just don't see why, if you all have all this information, why you can't go to Cephas—or why you haven't gone before now!"

The look of desperate resolve that had come over Ani's face—and Lily's resultant panic—ebbed away as Lily's words sunk in. And as against her nature it was to challenge her elders, Lily clung to her question like a lifeline. _They cannot possibly expect Ani to save her father!_ her mind franticly rationalized. _She could be in terrible danger!_

"I don't understand that either," Remus contributed. "You all—" He gestured to the three adults, old and young, dark and fair "—are more magically powerful than the rest of us combined. Why Ani?"

"Ani's youth has little bearing on her importance," Aeryn Solmere countered. "As for why we have not taken action before this, it is simple." She swept her beautiful eyes to Dumbledore. "They need to hear this from you," she told him quietly, and Lily's heart quivered at the gravity in her voice. "It is you they trust."

Their headmaster closed his eyes. He looked older than the earth. A wry smile tugged up the corner of his mouth, and Lily felt struck as she saw a glimmer of the young boy that Albus Dumbledore must have once been. "I," he said, his voice heavy with exhaustion, "greatly wish that what I am about to tell you were not true."

The silence pulsed through the bare room. Like a metronome, Dumbledore's measured voice struck against the air. Fear was in his tone.

"I cannot go to Cephas," he said, "though if it were up to me, I would face the danger in your place, Ani. But this place is warded, guarded by spells and charms that even strong wizards cannot penetrate. Even if I were to be given the exact location by one who could see past the wards, such as Aeryn Solmere, I would wander around it for hours and never find them."

"So why can't Aeryn Solmere go?" Remus demanded. "You just said she could see past the warding!"

Lily wondered, briefly and absently, what magics Aeryn Solmere could possess to help her surpass Dumbledore.

Pain guttered like candle flame over Dumbledore's face. "Aeryn Solmere is bound by the magics of her kind," he said—_Though he fails to inform us as to what her kind, exactly, is,_ Lily thought. He spoke again, voice bitter, and the sound made Lily ache. "The place where your father is bound has become tainted with Dark magic… blood magic. For eons innocent blood has spilled over those stones. For Aeryn Solmere to set foot in this place, the magics in her being would be snared by threads of the blood magic there."

"I do not fear death." Aeryn Solmere's crisp voice belled to their ears. "But before I die, there is work that must be done, work that cannot be accomplished for many years. Otherwise, I should be happy to aid your father, Ani."

"I still don't understand."

This time it was Dearborn who had spoken, and the deep voice surprised them all. "How can Ani see past the wardings if Dumbledore can't?" he asked cautiously. "I'll tell you, Dumbledore, when you first told me about this plan, I had my doubts. But your explanation hasn't assuaged them. In fact, it's made me question you more, I'm sorry to say."

Lily stiffened at the hint of confrontation, but Dearborn's matter-of-fact tone was anything but disrespectful. "I understand your concern, Caradoc," Dumbledore replied. "Ani is the daughter of your good friend. Your worries for her are understandable, as are your questions.

"In order to free her father, Ani must go to the place where he is captured and lead him out again. But the only way she can get to that place is to be lead there by someone who knows its location—one who is part of Voldemort's inner circle." The old, wise eyes pierced them each in turn. "You must help her find such a person and find a way to infiltrate this place. That much I know." He shook his head wearily. "But how you will do it, Ani, I cannot see. Nor can Aeryn Solmere. It is something you, and your friends, must help us to figure out. For I see no options."

The need to cry out in disapproval, to protect her best friend from the horrors that lay ahead overwhelmed Lily. Stammering, she burst out, "You can't ask Ani to do this. She shouldn't have to do this, she can't—"

"I have to."

Lily whipped around to stare her friend in the face. Ani's gold eyes were gleaming with a sort of fever, and her face was pale and set. She met Lily's eyes slowly. "I have to do this, don't I?" she asked softly. "It's the only way."

"Yes, Ani," Aeryn Solmere said after a long moment. "Yes, you do."

The echo of a low, harsh expelled breath caught Lily's ear. She looked away from Ani to see Sirius, his fingers buried deep in his hair, his face contorted. When he spoke, a chill went through Lily. He spoke as if each word cost him his life's breath, and the pain was unbearable.

"I know what we can do," he said hoarsely. "I know how we can get Ani inside."


	13. The Eye

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Harry Potter.  What would I do without J.K. Rowling, who so graciously lets me play with her world of extraordinary characters?  I probably wouldn't be writing this story.  So hurrah for J.K. Rowling—without her, we'd all be much sadder fanfic fanatics.

**Author's Note:**  As usual, thank you all very much for your comments and reviews.  I'm plugging along, and when I'm not working on this I've been quilting together some pieces for the next story.  Anyway, this chapter is riddled with tension and danger… just the way I like it.  And for all you Ani/Sirius shippers out there… let's just say I hope I haven't let you down.  In other news, I've been sitting here pondering HP6, entitled (as I stated in last chapter) Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, I got to wondering if the prince in question might be none other than one of the Hogwarts professors.  My money goes out to either Snape or Dumbledore, as Rowling has already stated that it's neither Harry nor Voldemort.  Just a little food-for-thought for you.  And now, onward…

---

"_No_."

Sirius felt himself flare as he shot his eyes across the room.  The room had been a tomb while he'd quietly and painstakingly detailed the plan that had flowed unbidden into his head.  No one had dared interrupt: they had sat silently, faces impassive and stony, measuring and weighing every word.  When his voice had finally quieted, still no one spoke.  He couldn't read most of their expressions—Dearborn had buried his face in his hands and Dumbledore's keen eyes had drifted closed—but that mattered little.  Sirius kept his attention focused on two sets of eyes: one flashing gold and one ghostly blue.  He knew, instinctively, that it was their reactions that would tell him the most.

Aeryn Solmere had nodded, slowly and speculatively.  She glanced at the headmaster, and lifted one brow, clearly saying, "The plan has merit, and we have no others."  That had given him a surge of hope—if this strange, strong woman could find value in his plan, maybe it would work.

_And if it works, maybe Ani will come out of this safe,_ Sirius thought, his heart lightened with optimism.__

The lack of other responses weakened the meager hope inside of him, and it was with little patience and even less grace that Sirius glared at Remus, the only person who had vocally—and vehemently—objected.  It was one of his better glares, he thought, for even James flinched slightly as he caught sight of it…that was saying something.  But Remus glared right back at him, eyes like pools of acid and every line in his face screaming anger.

A dangerous and hauntingly familiar tone had crept into his voice as Sirius asked slowly, "And why not, Remus?"

Remus was ablaze, and if his own resentment hadn't been clawing its way to the surface, Sirius might have been somewhat nervous at the werewolf's rare display of temper.  Remus shifted tensely in his seat, as though his disapproval for Sirius' plan prevented him from sitting still.

"Considering that we don't even know if this plan will work," he began, his voice tense, "I just think that there's a little too much risk involved, Sirius."

"I never claimed that there wasn't any risk," Sirius countered angrily.  "This is a dangerous situation in general, _Remus_; none of us can claim that we could rescue Ani's father without risk.  But no one else—" He gave Remus a pointed look "—has made any suggestions.  If you think it's so damn dangerous, think of another way."

"Someone else can be led to Mr. Hellsing," Remus immediately responded.  "Someone older, someone who can defend himself.  Sending Ani in there alone is like throwing a lamb to the wolves.  We can't do it."

"Just because you're too scared to do it doesn't mean that Ani is," Sirius shot, unable to keep the taunt out of his words.

By this point, James had gotten to his feet between them and had actually put out a hand as though to keep the two apart.  With a remarkably werewolf-like snarl, Remus surged to his feet and forcibly pushed James back into his chair.  "How can you be so reckless?" he shouted at Sirius, his reserve snapped.  "This whole plan is insane!  You would risk Ani's life just to see your stupid scheme come to life!"

"And you would keep her in the dark when she's desperate to help her father!" Sirius roared back, rising as well, ready for a fight.  "She's got a mind of her own!  She can make her own damn decisions, and she wants to rescue her father!"

Remus surged forward, and if Dumbledore hadn't pushed to his feet, Sirius had no doubt that he'd have gone down in an instant with Remus' hands at his throat.  The headmaster's eyes penetrated the two of them so deeply that it was like a valve, releasing the tension.  Sirius and, a moment later, Remus sank back into their chairs.

"We cannot afford this kind of nonsense," Dumbledore ordered sharply, and any pretense that they were adults and equals in this conversation evaporated.  With Dumbledore's chastisement they had turned back into children, and Sirius sensed for the first time the helplessness that Dumbledore must have felt, knowing that the safety of one of his Order lay in the hands of a mere girl and her friends.  "While you two squabble there is a real enemy out there, and a real man in danger.  You cannot afford this kind of behavior when there are lives at risk."

Like a slap to the face Sirius remembered Dumbledore's end-of-the-term speech.  _He looked right at us,_ he remembered now.  _How on earth could he have known?  _The look on Remus' face showed his realization as well.

Seeing that he'd reached them, Dumbledore spoke again with less thunder in his tone.  "Arguing over who has come up with the better plan is a waste of your valuable energies," he reminded them.  "Already, thanks to you, we have more of a plan than we have been able to make since Cephas disappeared.  Focus yourselves on the task at hand.  You are on the same side."

"Yes, sir," Sirius and Remus replied in one low voice, and Sirius felt his anger wash away.

"Professor."

A new voice, Lily's, broke the silence.  Sirius' sideways glance showed Lily to be depleted with worry, the fight but not the fear having left her body.  Dumbledore looked at her and his eyes softened.  "Yes, Miss Evans?" he asked.

"Isn't there any other way?" she questioned, her voice dull with worry.  "Remus is right—it's so dangerous."  Lily glanced at Ani apologetically and said, "Ani's my best friend, sir, and I can't stand to think of anything happening to her."

"Lily," Aeryn Solmere began, her voice gentle as a mother's.  "No one doubts your concern for Ani's well-being.  Nor yours, Remus," she added, inclining her head towards him graciously.  "Such concerns must be considered carefully, and I would not have you think that because we are considering Sirius' plan that we do not value your concern.  Remus, you think that because the plan involves risk that Sirius disregards Ani's well-being… it is your worry that keeps you from seeing that his plan is designed to keep her as safe as possible."  Her keen eyes swiftly moved to Sirius.  "Else why would he have a part for all of you involved?  What better way to protect someone than to help her in her greatest hour of need?"

They were all quiet again for a moment, and Sirius felt the weight of the decision press into his shoulders.  _Whatever happens,_ he vowed, _Ani can't do this by herself.  She needs our help._

Finally James, looking tired, spoke up.  He'd been quiet for most of the arguments, his eyes sharp on each of the individual faces.  His voice was low and solemn as he said to the group, "I think this plan is the best we have… but I also think we need to let Ani decide what we should do."  He glanced at Sirius and added, "It's her father who's in danger, and if we follow through with this, she'll be the one at the most risk.  In the end, I think it ought to be her decision."

Sirius felt instantly and embarrassingly mollified as he realized that none of them—not even he—had bothered to ask Ani what she thought.  She must have been furious.  _It would piss me right the hell off,_ he admitted inwardly.  But when he looked abashedly over at Ani, there was no trace of anger on her face.

Something stirred in his chest.  With her mouth soft and her eyes deep in thought, her curly hair spilling down her back and half obscuring her face, and her hands folded as though in prayer under her chin, she looked… she looked… _She looks beautiful,_ Sirius thought, and as he thought of the danger she might soon be in, nausea coursed through him. 

She sensed his eyes on her and looked up.  A determination that reminded him of James flickered in her eyes.  She gifted him with a small half-smile and when she spoke, her voice was calm.

"I want to do it."  She looked up at Dumbledore and Aeryn Solmere and nodded firmly.  "I do."  She turned to Remus and said, her voice unspeakably gentle, "There's no other way, Remus."

"You know best," Remus said through clenched teeth, with an effort that must have been monumental.  He burst out, as an afterthought, "But if you're going to do it, I'm going to come with you!"  He looked around the room fiercely, ending with Sirius, defying him to disagree.

"Yes," Ani agreed.  "I want you _all_ with me."  She set her shoulders and gave one last, affirmative nod as she turned back to their headmaster.  Dumbledore looked as ancient as the earth.  Sirius pitied him.  "Just tell me when."

---

Ani felt like half of her was being ripped away as she watched Remus, his back full of smoldering anger, walk down the street back towards Diagon Alley.  His anger and hurt made her ache horribly, so much so that she thought she might collapse. 

Her friend had been notably quiet throughout the rest of the meeting, and she kept glancing at him nervously, expecting him to burst out again.  To his credit, however, Remus stayed composed, his jaw set and his lips sealed, until Dearborn had escorted them out of the flat with the admonition that they were not to be out alone as it got late.  But the moment they were outside, he'd given them a stiff farewell and spun on his heel to stalk down the street. 

Ani, tired to the very marrow of her bones, had poised to run after him.  If today were to be the last time she would see him before their plan unfolded, she couldn't bear for him to leave in anger.  Remus had started out this summer as a mere acquaintance and had bloomed into a wonderful friend, and Ani could not bear to see him this way.  At the last minute before she could rush after him, Lily had put a hand on her shoulder.  "Maybe you should let me go after him, love," she said softly.

It was her impulse to refuse—it was not Ani Hellsing's way to ignore a friend who was obviously troubled—but as Ani looked at Lily, she felt the air rush out of her lungs and agreed sadly, "Maybe you should." 

Lily nodded and headed off down the street.  James and Sirius exchanged a mutual look that sent James trotting off after Lily.  Sirius shifted and stood by Ani's side and together they watched as the three figures met and disappeared down the road.

"He's scared for you," Sirius said.  It pleased Ani for some inexplicable reason to know that even though Remus had disapproved of his idea, Sirius was trying to explain his actions to her.

"I know he is," she replied softly, "and I appreciate it."  She sighed.  "I guess I'd better head back."

Sirius nodded.  "I'll walk you."

They started to walk down the street in the direction of St. Mungo's.  He put his hand under her elbow as they hurried across a busy street, and let it linger there after they'd made it safely across.  The warmth of him spread all through Ani's body.  _Sirius is another friend I was fortunate to make,_ she thought to herself as they walked along silently.  _I can't bear to think what I'd have done if he and James and Lily and Remus and Peter hadn't been there for me.  And if this plan works, I'll owe them all more than I can say._

Filled with these bittersweet thoughts, Ani impulsively pulled back and then slipped her hand inside of Sirius'.  He hesitated for a moment, then relaxed and laced his fingers tightly through hers.  She thought of Bath, of walking hand in hand—_Hands cupped, though: like friends, not like this,_ Ani thought—with Remus.  She was instantly filled with an intense longing.  Who knew when they would all be together and out of danger again?

"Maybe Remus is right," Sirius said, his tight voice breaking through her thoughts.  He tightened his grip on her hand.  "Maybe there is someone else who we can send… someone besides you."

She shook her head vehemently.  "You know there isn't," she argued.  "Your plan is a good one, Sirius, but I'm the only person who can make it work.  You know that."

He sighed.  "I do know," he said wryly, "but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Ani smiled at him and squeezed his hand briefly.  "Should've thought of that before you mentioned it, then," she teased him.

He laughed, albeit briefly.  Then, after a moment's hesitation, he suggested, "Well, what about Rion?"

She stopped so suddenly that it was like stepping into a brick wall.  Sirius, still keeping his pace, jerked around when she stopped and looked at her questioningly.  Ani removed her hand from his.  "No," she growled, harsher than intended.  "I've got one brother in St. Mungo's and I don't need to send the other to join him."

"Hey."  Sirius stepped back to her and put a hand on her shoulder, which had grown tense and taut.  "You're right," he surrendered.  "You're right."  He placed his other hand on her shoulder and rubbed gently for a moment.  A bit of the tension ebbed away.  Ani sighed.  "I'm sorry," Sirius apologized, taking her hand again.  They resumed walking.  "I am.  That was stupid; I wasn't thinking."

"It's okay."  She leaned into him for a moment.  "You all just want to protect me.  I understand that.  But I'm also glad you know that this is something I have to do.  If anything else happens to my dad…" Her voice trembled and Sirius rubbed the pad of his thumb over her hand.  She cleared her throat and continued, "The way Dumbledore talked about that activity on the moors… I'm sure he thinks my dad is still… well, you know…"

Sirius nodded sharply.  "He is," he said.  "And that's a good sign."  He thought for a moment, then added, "And besides, Dumbledore wouldn't give us all this information if he didn't think we could help your dad."

"Even if he didn't have any other choice?" replied Ani cynically.

"Even then," he said, ever loyal to their headmaster.  "We'll all be okay.  You'll see.  I promise."  He flashed her the devil-may-care grin that could always make her melt.  This time was no exception.  "And a Black promise is unbreakable."

"Good to know," Ani smiled.

They walked the rest of the way silent and hand-in-hand.  Despite the looming terror of their mission, Ani felt strangely calm and when they reached St. Mungo's hidden entrance, she turned to Sirius and smiled.

She said, her voice low, "I want you to know how much I appreciate what you're all doing for me and my family."  She took his other hand and squeezed them both.  "It's more than I ever could have asked you to do."

"We're just happy to be there for you," Sirius answered.  "You know that."

"I do."

She pushed up onto her toes and wrapped her arms tight around Sirius' neck.  He hugged her back, lingeringly, as he had the last time they were outside the hospital.  Ani could feel the shudder of his heart within his chest and felt hers leap to meet its pace when he pulled back and looked down into her eyes.

The moment where someone should have moved or spoken came and went.  Swallowing around the sudden knot in her throat, Ani said huskily, "I'll see you on Monday, okay?  By this time Tuesday this will all be over."

Sirius nodded heavily and moved his hands up her back.  "Monday," he repeated softly.  "Right."

Ani's breath caught hard in her throat as his hands moved around to her face, his fingers still tangled in her hair, his thumbs tilting her chin.  Her senses suddenly besieged her.  She could feel every whorl of his fingertips and the warmth of his breath against her cheek.  Overwhelmed, she closed her eyes and waited.

The kiss warmed every bone in her body.  She felt as though she would drift away on the light, sweet, silky delight of it.  It ended far too soon, leaving her dizzy and star struck, her face still in Sirius' hands.

Finally after what seemed like forever, she opened her eyes.  He was looking at her closely, his eyes both dreamy and wary.  One eyebrow quirked in question.  "Are you okay?" he whispered.

"Perfect," she whispered back, and reached up to pull him down to kiss her again.

---

"Remus!  Wait!"

He stopped, screwed his eyes shut and forced himself to count backwards from twenty as two sets of feet pounded towards him.  When he opened them again, Lily's pretty, concerned face was in his line of vision and James' hand was on his back.  "Talk to me, mate," he urged.  "Don't run off like that, okay?"

Remus forced himself to shrug and the three of them started walking again.  "Nothing to talk about," he insisted, his chest tight as a drum.  "I'm fine."

"Don't lie, Remus," Lily whispered.  "You're scared.  We're all scared."

Angry tears threatened to choke him but he banished them instantly.  "Fine," he snapped.  "I'm terrified.  Happy?"

James squeezed his shoulder so hard that Remus would have winced any other time.  But this time the feeling gave him extra strength—James' strength.  "We just have to believe that we can do this and that everything will be okay," James murmured, meeting Lily's eyes.  "That's all we can do."

His rage abated, Remus slumped under his friend's hand.  "I wish more than anything that we could do this instead of Ani," he admitted quietly.  "I'd give anything in the world."

"She wouldn't let you," James replied instantly, and Lily nodded.

"What if it were your father?" Lily asked him.  "Or your little brother who was hurt?  Could you sit back and let someone else do what it would take to rescue them?  Or would you get in there and fight?"

The question made him pause.  He disagreed with John Lupin more often than not—but Remus knew without a doubt that if he were in Voldemort's clutches, he would take on Hell itself to save him.

"Ani will be okay," Lily said softly, her voice brimming with hope and fear.  "And you'll be there for her… In the end, that's all anyone can do."

"But it's not enough!" Remus whispered back.  "It's just not enough."


	14. The Storm

**Disclaimer:** This is the part where we all bow down and pay homage to J.K. Rowling for her inspired fiction. Without her Harry Potter, the Marauders, and this fanfic would not exist. As for me, I lay claim to Ani Hellsing, her family, and any other character that you don't recognize.

**Author's Note:** Apparently I'm the slowest person alive. My own mother heard that J.K. Rowling was pregnant before I did. And apparently so did my boyfriend. I ought to hang up my mantle as a Rowling fan. Oh well. I'll have to produce some good chapters to make up for it, eh?

---

Saturday night in London and something was not right.

After leaving Sirius, Ani had not felt ready to return to the quiet vigil at Lynx's bedside. Unwilling to discuss her whereabouts for the afternoon with her mother—and most certainly unable to keep the color out of her cheeks—she had decided to stroll around St. Mungo's for awhile, at least until she could be reasonably certain her mother was asleep on the camp bed in the corner.

But rather than the peace and quiet she'd hoped the walk through the cool halls would inspire, a heavy trepidation began to spread through her shoulders. Rolling them to abate the tension, Ani tried to ignore her unease and guided her thoughts to something more pleasant—Sirius.

It had taken all of her will power not to cry out in protest when he had finally pulled away from their second, heart-stopping kiss. "The Potters will be expecting me and James," he explained, tracing the curve of her cheek with his thumb. "I really ought to go back."

"Okay," she replied, her voice sounding strange to her own ears. She looked away—more than she could admit, she didn't want him to leave. She had no desire to be alone in the remaining hours before their plan was to take place.

"Listen to me, Ani," insisted Sirius, turning her face to meet his again. "Go get some sleep and try not to be frightened. Everything's going to be okay. We won't let anything happen to you."

"I'm not scared," she said impatiently. "I'm worried about _you,_ all of you. I don't care what happens to me: but if something were to happen to you or Remus or Lily or my dad… I just couldn't handle that."

He snorted and in spite of herself she grinned. "Nothing's going to happen to me," he assured her, one corner of his mouth quirking into a grin. "And I've no doubt in my mind that Evans would take out ten of those bastards before they so much as looked at her."

She laughed. "Well, you're right about that," she agreed. "Still, I worry… can't help it."

"Just keep your mind off of it," he advised.

"I'll do my best."

His face had darkened for a moment. "Ani," he said seriously. "When I come to get you… I won't be able to act like myself."

"I know that," Ani answered.

"I know you do," he replied. "Only I want you to remember, no matter what they have me say or do, that I'm on your side. Okay?"

"Okay, _Dad,_" she teased, and they giggled.

He bent his head then and kissed her again, softly, and neither of them had laughed.

The memory of that kiss smoothed and warmed her, but did not abate the sensation she'd been trying to escape. _Nerves,_ she told herself. _Nothing more. Sirius is right, you need to sleep._

She glanced down at her watch and gaped in shock—half past nine. _Where did the evening go?_ she asked herself incredulously. Turning in place, she made her way back to the lift she knew was at the end of the hall and headed for Lynx's room. Cassie Hellsing, whose worry and constant watchfulness had left her exhausted and weakened, would most certainly be asleep. With any luck Ani could creep into the room and climb onto the extra camp bed next to her mother without waking her.

Ani's steps slowed as she approached Ward 49. Her agitation prickled. The normal nighttime murmurs of sleeping patients and soft footfalls of Healers had been replaced by a low, intense buzzing as of voices in hushed conversation. Tension hung in the air like London fog, swirling around her head. Her heart rate stepping up a pace, Ani hurried towards her brother's room, where the noise seemed to be originating.

_Let him have woken up,_ she begged whatever god would listen. _Please, let him be awake._

She was within two steps of the room when a familiar figure stepped out and carefully shut the door behind him.

"Rion!" Ani exclaimed, trying desperately to sound happy to see him and to ignore the clenching in her stomach at the sight of his drawn face. "What are you doing in London? Aren't you watching the restaurant?"

"Where have you been, Ani?" Rion asked in a low voice.

"I met up with Lily and the Marauders," she informed him, her stomach rebelling further. "Lily took our Floo to meet me. What's going on, Rion? What are you doing here?"

He didn't answer, and within moments the clamor of her heart had drowned the silence. "Rion?" came her voice, as though from far away.

Her brother stepped forward and put his arms around her shoulders. Dizziness overwhelmed her. Rion pulled her close and tucked her into the hollow between his arms and his heart. "Ani," he whispered against her hair. His arms banded tighter around her. "Ani. Baby, Lynx is dead. He died earlier tonight. There was just too much damage. He's dead, Ani."

_She should be screaming. She should not be in this much pain, this much agony, without screams wrenching themselves from her throat. It was not possible. How could she be silent?_

But silent she was. She stood there, noiseless, and let Rion cradle her in his arms with burning tears pouring down her face.

---

Saturday night in London and Sirius' mind was on the Scripture.

_Draw the spear and javelin against my pursuers; say to my soul, "I am your salvation."_

He took a deep and calming breath and as a result, his heart turned to Ani. Ani, her face calm and set as they planned her father's fate. Ani, the fading sunlight illuminating a halo of reddish-gold in her hair. Ani, her lips yielding to his and her arms twined tightly around him outside of St. Mungo's. Ani, sleeping safely for a few more brief hours. With all he had in him, he prayed—not for his safety, but for hers.

"There. I've just seen them go in," came the fierce whisper from a point to Sirius' right, jangling his already stricken nerves. "If they try _anything,_ you just yell and we'll jump out and take care of them. Don't try to be brave, alright?"

"They won't try anything," he whispered back, the hairs on the back of his neck rising. It was always vaguely disconcerting to try and talk to James when he was under his invisibility cloak. "We don't have any other plan if they do."

"We just have to hope that the urge to kill every blood traitor they can will lull their suspicions," Remus' voice chimed in from his position beneath the cloak. "Just stick to the plan and we'll all be fine. Now. Are you ready?"

He looked up at the decaying and sinister façade of the Hired Hand, Knockturn Alley's most frequented—and unsavory—pub. Sneering gargoyles, faces and wings worn by weather and time, prowled sentry on the roof and a dim and eerie light emanated from the few windows. The knocker on the door, decorative rather than functional, was in the shape of a twisted, grimacing face. A chill ran through him and his stomach threatened to rebel, but he forced it into submission almost instantly. "I'm ready," Sirius answered.

James said grimly, "Good." There was a slight shuffle as they followed him to the front door. "Let's go, chaps."

Forcing his expression to one of disdainful and haughty nonchalance, Sirius reached for the handle of the front door and clamped his teeth down against a cry of pain. The handle, which was shaped like a withered claw, had twisted instantly to grab his hand. It shot a needle-sharp talon into his flesh so that a blossom of red blood appeared on Sirius' flesh. Behind he could hear James strangle a horrified gasp. He struggled against the door's grip and goosebumps pricked his flesh as the knocker's mangled face breathed sinisterly, "_Enter, pureblood._"

With a blink, the handle released him and the wound on his hand had healed. Sirius fought an urge to turn on tail and run as far away as he could, but pushed open the door instead. James and Remus brushed against him as they entered close behind him and the door slammed shut, enclosing the three of them deep within the enemy's camp.

The light shone so low it seemed red and flickered every so often like the pumping of heart's blood. The Hired Hand was packed full of figured tucked into shadowy corners, men and women that seemed part of the night itself. _Sad thing is, this is probably the safest place to meet them,_ Sirius thought darkly. _Better here, in their midst, than in a dark alley._

He resisted the urge to glance over his shoulder. Though no one, himself included, would be able to see Remus or James, but the less attention he brought to himself, the better. Instead he scanned the room, looking for the faces he sought and feared all at once.

They found him first.

"Little cousin."

He forced himself to keep from jumping. Berating his speeding heart, he turned to face an especially dark booth and the black forms within. His cousin's terrible and beautiful face peered out at him haughtily, candlelight snapping in her black eyes. At her side with his arm resting casually around her shoulders was Rodolphus Lestrange, pale and imperious, his cold eyes gleaming.

"Black," Lestrange greeted him, and shifted to make room in the booth for the newcomer. His voice held a note of caution that warned Sirius to beware. _Be very ware_, he told himself. He looked to Bellatrix's left and saw, with a clenching his stomach, the other two members of the group: Regulus Black and Severus Snape.

"This is a surprise," Lestrange continued as Sirius sat down next to him. He signaled a ghastly looking waiter. "I don't recall ever seeing you in here."

Sirius shrugged and ignored Snape's leer and Regulus' suspicious glare. "Two shots of firewhiskey," he ordered, and the pockmarked waiter bowed away obsequiously. "I was back in London with James," he explained loftily, "and he insisted on spending the evening with Lily Evans. I just thought I could make better use of my time."

"I seem to remember you rather being a fan of Lily Evans," Snape sneered.

He arched a disdainful brow at Snape and replied coldly, "Yes, and I seem to remember you being rather less obnoxious. Pity I was wrong."

A glimmer of triumph sparked in Sirius' chest as Lestrange allowed himself a chuckle. Snape blanched and scowled as Sirius relaxed slightly and took a sip of the firewhiskey the waiter brought him. "Anyway," he went on, slightly emboldened by the drink. "When Remus showed up with Ani Hellsing, it was a bit much. I decided to leave, find someplace more suitable."

He sipped again and pretended not to notice the look that Bellatrix and Lestrange exchanged. His brother laughed and Sirius ignored a surge of hatred. _Stay calm,_ he ordered himself. _Don't blow this over Regulus._

"Ani Hellsing?" Regulus asked, sipping his own drink and eyeing his brother. Once upon a time, Sirius might have felt a twinge at what he saw of his own face in his brother. Now he felt only contempt. "The same Ani Hellsing that caused that lovely little display with Father in the study? And you say she came with _Lupin? _The _half-breed?_" Regulus laughed maddeningly and said, "What's the matter, brother? Can't even keep a girl now?"

The insinuation stung, but the fact that Regulus had played right into his hand somewhat soothed his piqued pride. "That she did," he replied, voice cool. "We had a bit of a falling out. After the incident on the train I simply mentioned to her that it might be, shall we say, _wiser_ for her to stay away from types like Evans… especially if she were interested in seeing more of me." He shrugged. "The incident with Father before I left for James merely affirmed what I've long suspected: I may not like it, but I was born a Black, and if I play my cards right, I can have everything."

"What's all this, little cousin?" Bellatrix asked demurely, her voice falsely sweet. "Finally decided to take your rightful place in the family? Follow through on your father's footsteps?" She snorted, all pretense gone. "I'll believe that when I see it."

"Believe it," Sirius countered boldly. "What do I have to gain from Ani Hellsing? Nothing. But what do I have to gain from being a Black?" He grinned and repeated, "Everything. All I have to do now is figure out a way to do it before I can convince my father."

There was a dangerous pause. Snape looked like he would enjoy nothing more than hexing Sirius into oblivion. Regulus seemed no more convinced of his brother's change of heart than Sirius would have been had the situation been reversed. He might have lost hope if not for the fact that his cousin's usual look of disdain had been replaced with something darker and crueler—something joyfully, gleefully vicious.

In the end, it was Lestrange who assured Sirius of victory. Exchanging another glance with Bellatrix, he leaned towards Sirius. A glimmer lit his grey eyes. Unwittingly, Sirius remembered the look in those eyes when they'd slowly raked over Ani on the Hogwarts' Express. He liked their expression no more now than he had then. He tried to push that thought away and forced himself to meet Lestrange's eyes.

"Prove it," said Lestrange.

Sirius smiled coldly. "Tell me how."

---

"So all we have to do now is wait."

Remus sighed and drained his second flagon of butterbeer. The hollowness of James' voice, back dropped by the low chatter of the other patrons, only intensified the dread that had been taking over Remus since their departure from Caradoc Dearborn's flat. The butterbeer had done nothing to warm him.

It had been he, Remus, who suggested they stop at the Leaky Cauldron before returning to the Potters'. It was for Sirius that he had suggested it, for he had looked pale and peaked when they'd finally met up back in Diagon Alley. He was shaking when he found them. James and Remus, finally certain that Lestrange and the others had bought Sirius' ruse, had fled from the Hired Hand as quickly as possible, slipping out behind a wizened and shrunken old wizard. Remus and James had moved through the dank alley under the cover of the Invisibility Cloak until the bright lights of Diagon Alley spilled over them once more. Then, chests heaving, they collapsed into a bright doorway a few shops down from the Leaky Cauldron. Sirius had emerged nearly a quarter of an hour later and the three of them had walked into the pub in silence.

"I'm to meet them around dusk on Sunday," Sirius said quietly. "Lestrange said we'd go from there."

Had there been anything in his mouth, Remus would have spat it out. "I thought we agreed this would happen on Monday!" he hissed. "Ani won't be ready!"

"What else could I do?" snapped Sirius. "I couldn't say, 'No, Sunday's no good for me to kidnap the girl, can't we reschedule?'"

"Why did he want to do it Sunday?" James hurriedly asked. Remus bit back his impatience to wait for Sirius' reply.

Sirius sighed and looked into his drink. He'd come out of the Hired Hand smelling strongly of firewhiskey but had stuck with butterbeer at the Leaky Cauldron. "He said something about being able to…" He sighed and raked a hand over his head, and Remus felt a twinge of pity at his friend's anguish. "He said we could have a bit more fun Sunday night." He dropped his voice a level and went on, "He said that their Lord—Voldemort, I assume—had hinted at having a meeting later in the week, and so would be less likely to show up then."

He rolled his shoulders. "This is a game to Lestrange," Sirius said bitterly. "The others, even Bella, are fanatical when they talk about their 'mission' or their Lord… not him. It's just sport." He struggled for a moment. "He doesn't even know or care who they're hurting or killing. It's just free time amusement to him."

The three were quiet for a moment. Finally James spoke again, his eyes glued to the table. "Did they say anything about Cephas?"

Sirius shook his head. "But whenever I mentioned Ani, Lestrange got this glint in his eye," he replied, voice terse with abhorrence. "Whatever they're doing with him, he thinks they can use Ani to make it easier… use her as bait." He grimaced. "It's sick."

"You got that right," James agreed gloomily, and Remus nodded.

He was silent while James and Sirius finished their drinks. Sirius' information had only confirmed what he already suspected—the danger they were about to place Ani in had gone beyond anything they'd ever considered.

_How could Dumbledore have agreed to this?_ he swore inwardly. _He's supposed to protect her at all costs! _

_Dumbledore knows more about this than you do,_ an inner voice reminded him. _He was right to let you into the school, wasn't he, when everyone else would have turned you away? Maybe he's right about this too._

_Maybe,_ he answered back. _But maybe not._

"We better head home."

Remus jumped at James' voice, then nodded mutely. They laid their tip on the table and headed for the queue at the fireplace just as the fireplace chimed ten. Remus thanked his lucky stars that his parents had not heavily questioned his request to stay with the Potters for a few days: Sasha Lupin, no matter what the moon phase, was especially nervous about her eldest son being out after dark.

James stepped into the fire first, the green swirling about him and swallowing him into the depths. Remus, second in line, followed suit and took a deep breath. He'd never taken well to traveling by Floo, and by the time he stumbled over the Potters' hearth, he was nauseous as well as heartsick.

He was so disoriented that it took him a moment to register why James looked so stunned. He glanced at Mrs. Potter, who put a steadying hand on his arm as he wobbled towards her, and then his jaw dropped. Lily Evans, her eyes red-rimmed and her face milk-white, was seated at the kitchen table with a grave looking Harold Potter.

"Lily!" Sirius gasped as he stumbled out of the fire behind Remus. "What are you doing here?"

She cleared her throat and held out a piece of parchment. Remus took it as James and Sirius crowded in around him to read it. Unfamiliar handwriting scrawled shakily across the page, and as his eyes absorbed it, Remus felt his veins burn with pain.

"Lily— 

**_Lynx died tonight at St. Mungo's. Ani has barely spoken except to ask me to write and tell you what happened. She also said not to come: she said something about going ahead with the plan. I don't know what it means either; she's in shock. I know she doesn't want you to worry, but I'd feel better if you were here._**

**_I'm doing okay. Mum is about as bad as could be expected._**

—**_Rion"_**

It took him a moment to realize that Sirius had swirled around in place. He charged for the fire and grabbed a handful of Floo powder. He would have thrown it in if Mrs. Potter hadn't grabbed him by the wrist and halted him in his place.

"There's nothing you can do for her tonight, Sirius," she said gently.

"We have to go," Sirius said desperately. He shot a pleading look at Lily. "She needs us."

"Ani needs you to keep your head about you and to help her not to lose any more family members, Sirius," Mr. Potter replied sharply.

The Marauders shot incredulous looks at Lily. _She told them?!_ Remus' brain shouted. "What did you say?" James asked his father slowly.

"Lily didn't tell us," Mrs. Potter said gently. "Dumbledore did. He's told us everything."

"How?" Sirius asked, shocked. "And why?"

"Unless—" James went on, realization spreading over his face at the same time as it filled Remus' mind.

"You're part of Dumbledore's order, Mr. Potter," he said softly.

Harold Potter—tall, lean, and suddenly looking older than his time—sighed. "Yes," he answered, his voice equally low. He looked at his son, who was gazing at his father with an expression bordering on disbelief. "I contacted Dumbledore as soon as we heard that Cephas was missing. He already knew, of course—he doesn't miss a beat, that man." Mr. Potter sighed. "Anyway, it was he who told me to give the Dark Mark—that parchment I found—to Rion." He looked around the room, meeting each set of eyes in turn, ending with Remus'. "He knew that it was Ani who had to save her father… and as much as he hated to do it, he had to set the pieces in motion."

Lily laughed softly. "And here we thought we were so clever," she murmured.

"I can't believe you never told me, Dad," James said quietly.

"There was no need for you to know, James," Mr. Potter replied. "Voldemort is beyond dangerous—he's mad. If I had my way, you wouldn't know a thing about this." He sighed and met his wife's eyes. Mrs. Potter let out a shaky breath. "But you're Ani's friend, and this is Ani's battle."

Remus watched as Mr. Potter pushed to his feet and crossed the room to Sirius. He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Son," he said quietly, "the best thing you can do for Ani is to help her save her father. Ani has suffered a very great loss, but she has a mission to fulfill. She needs her wits about her." He squeezed Sirius' shoulder. "If you go to her tonight, she will lose her focus."

"Her focus isn't important!" Sirius insisted. "She needs to be taken care of!"

"Sirius," James said quietly, "you can't expect her to keep her mind together when you're trying to take care of her. If you went up to her and offered your comfort, you'd be forcing her to admit to what happened… forcing her to make herself weak in front of someone she needs." He looked solemnly at Lily. "I couldn't do that."

Remus felt something within him hurt. The look on Sirius' face… the agony in his voice… and it wasn't his brother who lay dead at the hands of Voldemort. _How can Ani survive this kind of pain?_ he asked himself.

But he knew. She had to survive it so that she would not have to go through it again. And a look at Sirius' face told him that he knew it too.

James sighed. The room suddenly felt like a tomb.

"So all we have to do now is wait."


	15. Malhaceil Bluff

**Disclaimer:** J.K. Rowling is the genius that came up with Harry Potter… I am not. Both she and I request that you do not take liberties with our respective characters.

**Author's Note:** Sorry it took so long, ladies and gents, but hopefully this will make up for it. Oh, and by the way… New idea on who might be the Half-Blood Prince: Hagrid. Half wizard, half giant. He's the key to keeping the giants from going to help Voldemort. I like this idea better than if the prince were Snape or Dumbledore… mostly coz I want to see Hagrid go nine kinds of crazy and kick some ass. But anyway, here's the story! Enjoy! Read and review!

---

So this was it.

Night spread like a tumor across the sky, thick and malignant. The heat of the day had seeped into the concrete and stayed trapped by the fog, turning the city muggy and dank. Despite this, Lily shivered.

James mistook her trembling for a chill and put an arm around her instantly. She stiffened for a moment, but relaxed again at a pacifying glance from Remus. James' gesture was one of concern—not of solicitation. _He's only trying to help,_ she reminded herself. And, though she'd never admit this aloud to _anyone,_ his arm around her was warm and welcome. Lily resisted the urge to lean into him and instead cocked her ear, hoping to soon hear the footsteps that would signify the beginning of their mission.

_The sooner this is over with, the better,_ she thought.

She shifted uneasily. She, James and Remus (and their broomsticks) were crowded in an abandoned doorway. The glass-front of St. Mungo's stretched out across the street before them, the mannequins innocuously guarding the entrance. Several hundred yards away London bustled along as busy as ever, but this stretch of road—comprised mostly of run-down businesses—had become almost abandoned, save for the three teens in their sentry positions. It rankled Lily's sense of cover to be standing there, exposed to the world. From time to time she had to glance down at her body to remind herself that the Disillusionment charm Aeryn Solmere had placed on each of them was still in place.

"Any time now," Remus whispered.

Apprehension chased through Lily again. She pushed it away with a terse nod. This part of the mission, though by far one of the least dangerous, was the one she dreaded the most. _So much can go wrong,_ she worried absently.

She reached into her pocket and fingered the long, smooth object she found resting next to her wand. It felt cool and tingly to her fingertips: the only indication of the magical properties within. She wrapped her fingers tightly around it and said a small prayer that it would do what it was promised.

Hours before, when the evening was still pale and bright, Sirius, Lily, Remus and James had taken the Floo to Caradoc Dearborn's flat as instructed. Aeryn Solmere waited for them alone, her flowing robes draped demurely around her as she sat in a rocking chair with the air of a queen. She would be the one to tell them how it was they were to follow Ani, Sirius and the Death Eaters into their hidden fortress.

"You aren't old enough to Apparate, and the wardings will conceal Ani and Sirius from you," the beautiful woman informed them. "These, I trust, will lead you to her instead, whether you can see her or not."

She held out one long, elegant hand to reveal two long, ghostly green stone-like objects. She handed one to Lily and one to Sirius. As soon as they separated, Lily's stomach clenched. The stone, though motionless in her palm, seemed to be under some intense inner struggle to return to its partner's side. It sent its vibrations up and down her arm—she clenched her fist down on it, hoping to ease the sensation. It didn't work. She swung her eyes to look at Sirius. From the look on his face, he could feel it too.

"Do you know what these are?" Aeryn Solmere asked, sounding for all the world like their professors.

Lily had nodded. "Sysabins," she said softly and the others' eyes had grown wide.

"Just so," Aeryn Solmere said. "They come in pairs: one is found in the breast of the jabberknoll, the other in its nest in the spring, disguised as an egg… it is how the mothers tell their nests apart from the others." She pointed to the sysabin in Lily's hand. "As soon as they take Sirius and Ani, this will try to get to its brother. Follow it and it will lead you to her."

"But we still won't be able to see past the wardings," Remus commented, sounding discouraged. "So what's the point of us being there?"

"Would you rather stay behind?" Aeryn Solmere retorted sharply. The chastened Remus shook his head. "Then be happy you will be there at all."

She'd risen, signaling that the meeting was over. "As for the wardings," she continued softly, "magics far greater than I can possibly describe were used to construct them. It would take an equally great magic to destroy them." She then kissed them each in benediction. "Luck to you all."

"Here they are!"

James' hissed whisper snapped Lily out of her memory. She shot her eyes down the street and felt her stomach drop.

Sirius appeared in a puddle of streetlight, flanked by four figures wrapped in black. Rodolphus Lestrange led the way, his black cape flapping like the wings of some menacing bird of prey. Gliding by his side, her face half obscured by a black scarf binding her hair, was Bellatrix, her liquid black eyes penetrating every corner of the street. Lily felt her face drain of color. Playing rear guard, their faces blank and impassive, were Severus Snape and Sirius' brother, Regulus.

At her sides she could feel the others stiffen. James' hatred for Snape—until this point unprecedented—now seemed to be overflowing like flames licking through a forest. Instinctively she reached out and took his and Remus' hands. Each stilled as Lily strained her ear to hear the conversation that had begun in the street.

"Ready for a bit of fun, Black?" Lestrange's voice was deceptively cool, but Lily could sense the danger lurking beneath, like jagged rocks beneath a glassy sea.

"As always," Sirius replied, and in spite of herself, Lily's flesh pricked at the darkness in his tone. He nodded briefly to Lestrange and, for half the span of a heartbeat, flicked his eyes to the doorway where the three of them waited. Though she knew he couldn't see them, Lily nodded. An instant later, Sirius had disappeared into St. Mungo's.

Hours seemed to pass as Lestrange, Bellatrix, Regulus and Snape hovered like a thunderhead, speaking in low, sinister voices. Sirius was gone so long that when he finally appeared, Lily let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding in relief. The sensation instantly dissipated when she saw Ani's face. All the life seemed to have gone out of it. The white, set expression showed a cruel parody of her grief. Her golden eyes, now red-rimmed, were blank, their spark gone. Lily felt her heart ache and heard Remus' breath catch. She'd never seen Ani look so miserable.

Still hidden, they watched as Lestrange approached Ani and Sirius slowly. He held out one hand to the girl and, when she refused to take it, shot his arm out like a striking serpent to wrap around her waist. Sirius was pushed back another few feet by Lestrange's free hand and Lily watched, her head growing dizzy, as the handsome, striking, dangerous Lestrange gave Ani and vicious and unremitting kiss on the mouth. Ani struggled weakly; Lily whimpered.

Finally drawing away, Lestrange raised one arm and slashed his wand through the air, bellowing a spell. In an instant, he was gone… and so was Ani.

---

A second, then two passed, and Sirius felt as though his heart were going to leap out of his chest. Ani and Lestrange were gone and he remained in the middle of the street, outnumbered three to one by the people he hated the most.

_This was not how it was supposed to happen!_

He had to do something. Fighting to maintain his composure, he asked coldly, "Well? Shouldn't we be off?"

Bellatrix stepped forward and flashed him a triumphant grin. An ice block settled into Sirius' stomach. "We?" she asked disdainfully, tossing her black hair back. "_We_ are not going anywhere, little cousin." She stepped forward and stroked his cheek. She leaned forward to whisper in his ear, the sensation giving him gooseflesh. "After all, this is a game for Death Eaters… not_ blood traitors_."

He didn't have a moment to react as she had raised her wand and shouted viciously, "_CRUCIO!"_ Without warning his whole body erupted into flames, pain consuming every fraction of his flesh. Horrible, wrenching screams that he realized were his own mixed with laughter so black it might have belonged to death. Agony, agony, there was no hope, he would die, was dying, alone and in pain and with Ani in danger.

_Ani! Ani!_ he screamed within, but there was no answer. Only blackness, terror, silence, and pain.

As suddenly as it had started, the pain was gone. Sick and trembling, he rolled over on his side and vomited into the street. His stomach empty, he weakly pushed up to his hands and looked around the street. Footsteps pounded towards him, but the street was empty. Bellatrix, Regulus and Snape had disappeared and only when he strained his burning eyes could Sirius make out the vague outline of his Disillusioned friends rushing over to his side.

"Are you okay?" James asked, and Sirius strained to see him. The light bent strangely in the outline of a body, and Sirius suddenly felt his friend's arms pulling him unceremoniously to his feet.

"They took her!" Lily's voice shrieked, the tone shrill and terrified. "She's gone, and they didn't take Sirius with her! How will we find her now?"

But as soon as the words had left her mouth she let out a gasp. Sirius squinted at her as he swayed dizzily on his feet. The sysabin hovered eerily in midair and even he, feet away, could feel it yearning for its partner.

"I put the sysabin in Ani's pocket while we were still inside," Sirius whispered desperately, his voice jagged with the remnants of pain. "We can still follow it, but we have to go now. Quickly, go get your broomsticks. I'll have to ride double with one of you." No reaction. Terror stricken, the others stood silent. "Hurry!" he finally shouted, and he felt James leave his side and rush away.

Three broomsticks were distributed a second later, and Sirius awkwardly positioned himself behind James, who grabbed his arm to guide him. "Which way, Lily?" he demanded, his strength slowly returning and a new, desperate terror creeping in with it.

"North," she replied instantly. "Towards the coast. I can feel it." And without another word she shot into the air, Remus and James following closely.

Sirius clutched at his invisible friend as they rocketed into the sky. Urgency pulsed through his veins with each passing second.

_Please let us find her,_ he begged the stars as they danced above them. _Please don't let it be too late._

Cruelly, the stars were silent.

---

Simply paralyzed with fear, Ani didn't know what she'd been expecting when Rodolphus Lestrange had shouted his incantation. Her body had felt as though the flesh were melting from the bone and it was a mark of her hatred for her captor that despite the terrifying sensation, she still fought against Lestrange's vice-like grip. There was absolutely nothing save for blackness so heavy that it pressed on her eyelids and forced its way down her throat, choking the air from her lungs. Surely this was what it was to die.

Palpable relief coasted through her when the melting sensation faded and Ani, sobbing for air, pulled away from Lestrange and pitched forward onto stone. For a moment she laid there, her face against the freezing floor as she fought to catch her breath, her body bruised from the fall, her mouth from Lestrange's hateful, punishing kiss. Finally, she looked up to survey her surroundings.

Whatever she'd been expecting, it certainly hadn't been this. Dozens of stone monoliths, blade straight and taken from the bones of the earth itself, stood in a perfect circle around a raised stone base. Ani felt a chill go down her spine. The enormous foundation was so smooth to the touch that Ani felt as though she might slip right off. It bore no markings of tools, and as she pressed her palms against it, she could feel a deep vibration resonating through her skin. She thought back fleetingly to Dumbledore's words about blood magic. _It's an altar,_ she realized, her limbs jellying at the thought. _And it's very, very old._

Someone laughed.

On trembling arms she pushed up and stared around her. Lestrange, his eyes flashing cold lightning, stood in front of a crowd of dark figures, all of them jeering down at her. Ani could recognize Snape and Bellatrix among the faces, all of which were heartbreakingly young. Voldemort's campaign had ensnared the young and the promising—Ani ached to think that this was the cause the new generation had come to fulfill.

_Where is Sirius?_

The question pounded her brain instantly, and the first flickers of horror danced through her heart. She squinted through pain-dimmed eyes, looking for Sirius' face amongst her captors. Her stomach sank—she could find him nowhere. "Sirius!" she whispered, terror eclipsing her voice, but she knew the moment she spoke that it was in vain: she was entirely and utterly alone.

"Welcome to Malhaceil Bluff, Andromeda."

Lestrange's voice belled over the assembled group. Grandly, imperiously, he gestured to the towering stones that encircled the lot of them. She watched as he circled her menacingly, a terrible raptor over a wounded doe. "It is glorious, isn't it, Andromeda?" he asked, voice full of reverence as though this foul altar were the Holy Grail itself. "You should count yourself lucky, my dear," he went on, a mad sort of delight barely concealed in his voice. It made Ani tremble. "Had we not brought you here, you might never have been witness to such glory.

"But of course, this place has not always been one of glory and importance." Lestrange knelt suddenly and slithered long, pale fingers underneath Ani's chin, tilting her to look into his eyes. "No indeed. In fact, once upon a time this place served a far more unworthy purpose than that which we will put it to tonight."

Faster than her eyes could follow, Lestrange's hand shot into Ani's pocket and pulled out her wand. He leaned back, twirling it over his fingers. "I'll have to take this, darling," he said with a cold laugh. "Wouldn't do to have you attacking us, now would it?"

"Do you know where you lay, blood traitor?" Bellatrix stepped out of the throng of viewers, black eyes snapping. A wind caught the strands of her black hair and lifted them up, dancing around her face like Medusa's snakes. "This place," the witch went on, "was once surrounded by a small village in a time where magic was even less understood than it is now." She glared down at Ani, as though she were the source of all the violence and prejudice that their kind had once endured.

She laughed, suddenly, and Ani felt as though her soul itself were shriveling at the cruelty and madness in Bellatrix's tone. "_Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live,"_ she mocked. "Oh, how closely to their hearts those filthy Muggles took those words." Lestrange pushed to his feet to tower over Ani as Bellatrix took over his slow, circling gait. "Chasing witches and wizards from their homes, taking their wands, snapping them in two, murdering their children! Murdering them, sacrificing them _on this very spot._

"Oh, some of our kind say that the witch hunting had no real effect," Bellatrix whispered scathingly. "But those with proper wizarding pride—such as the Dark Lord, our master—grow livid at the thought of the injustice, of the degradation, of the blasphemy of the deaths of those witches and wizards who were caught." She smiled down at Ani, and suddenly her face was as hollow as a skull. "No doubt things have improved since that time—perhaps not so much as the Dark Lord and those who share his vision might have liked… oh, but there's still time for that. But in the meantime, Andromeda Hellsing, we have come to utilize Malhaceil Bluff for a _far _greater purpose."

As though on cue, the crowd surged and separated, and a weak and pale figure was shoved unceremoniously onto the middle of the stone circle. Lestrange and Bellatrix pushed back, leaving Ani and the other figure alone in the center. The man looked up and the pale light of the stars caught in his amber eyes.

Ani opened her mouth to scream—found she could not. She fought to reclaim her voice and finally, half-shrieking, half sobbing, called out, "Dad!"

Cephas Hellsing looked as though Death had come for him half a century too soon. His flesh was shrunken and hung off his bones like that of a man twice his age. Festering cuts and bruises blackened his flesh and the circles under his eyes gave the impression that his eye sockets were empty. His hair—once so golden, like his sons, and now almost purely white—hung lanky and dirty over his forehead. His hands were bound tightly behind his back and his chin dropped weakly onto his chest. He was bound, beaten, broken… a shadow of the man he'd been less than a month before.

Somewhere in her heart, Ani went mad with hatred. _They would pay for what they had done to her father._

At the sound of his daughter's voice, Cephas looked up, eyes wild with horror. Ani scrambled to her knees and crawled towards him, ignoring the scornful laughter that floated up around her. "Ani!" Mr. Hellsing rasped as his daughter flung herself at him, circled his waist with her shaking arms. "Ani, _run away!"_ he whispered, hoarse with agony and dread. "Go, Ani, run away, I'll try to keep them off!"

"I'm not leaving you!" she shouted.

But the words had barely left her mouth when strong arms circled her waist. Cephas Hellsing let out an animal moan as his daughter was pulled away from him and a pair of hands gripped his shoulders, pulled him to his feet. Ani fought like a woman possessed to return to her father's side, but it was no use.

Suddenly a wooden tip jabbed into her jugular. Ani ceased her struggle, arms pinioned to her sides, helpless. Rodolphus Lestrange, using her own wand against her, gave a soft, deadly chuckle.

"Now, Andromeda. Let's see if you can't be of some use to us."

---

_We're not going to make it,_ Remus thought.

The charm that Aeryn Solmere had put on their brooms to enhance their speed seemed almost useless as the four of them sliced through the sky. The mildness of the night was forgotten as he bent his stiff, frozen fingers, hoping to shock some sensation back into them. No use.

"The pull is getting stronger!" Lily shouted, her voice breaking in the rush of the wind. "I think we're almost there!"

Remus saw James nod and urge the broom on faster, but even as he fought to catch up, his heart was growing steadily heavier. However long they had been flying, that was how much more time Rodolphus Lestrange had against them.

Ani might even be dead… they might never know.

_Oh Ani,_ he wept inwardly, focusing every fiber of his mind onto transferring his message to her. _It doesn't matter that you've chosen Sirius. I don't even care. Only please, please, please don't be dead, Ani. Fight them off, do whatever it takes, just hold on, Ani… we're almost there._

Then finally, after what seemed hours in the air, just as his body had given its loudest scream of protest yet, Lily screamed, "_Down there!"_

She dove, plummeting straight towards the earth, her red hair a banner behind her. James, who was superior to even Lily's talent on broomstick, followed suit, Sirius clutching to stay seated. Remus had neither the talent nor experience of the others, but he too started a dizzying spiral down to the ground, where a misty moor stretched out below them like a purple sea. His heart raced—_Hang on, Ani, just hang on._

His hope was almost immediately extinguished. As they landed on the strangely flat and empty stretch of moor, despite the fact that they had been warned of this very thing, Remus wanted to scream. There was simply nothing there.

"Where is she?" Sirius rasped, limping forward off James' broom, his body stiff from the Cruciatus Curse and the broomstick ride. He stumbled into the darkness, fumbling wildly, as though he could seek her out that way. "_Ani!"_ he screamed, and his voice echoed over the foggy more like a ghost's.

Remus instinctively turned to Lily and noted vaguely that he was starting to be able to see her face… the Disillusionment charm must be wearing off. Her hand was outstretched and the sysabin lay in the center. To the eye, it was still, but somehow he could _feel_ the stone's desperate pull towards its partner. Before, in London and in the air, he could feel a vague tugging sensation and had been able to ignore it. This he could not disregard—it was entirely too strong.

"God _damn_ it," James muttered, grabbing a fistful of his hair in frustration. "This is useless!" He illuminated his wand and swung his arm in an arc. "I can barely see… not that there's anything _to_ see!"

"She's here." The three of them whipped around to see Sirius struggling back to them. "I know she's here," he told them desperately. "We have to break down the wardings… she won't know we're here. We have to get through them!"

"Sirius," Lily whispered, and Remus felt his heart breaking as she spoke, "_we can't break the wardings._ Aeryn Solmere said that it would take some great magic to do that, and none of us are strong enough for that. Besides, we're exhausted."

"We have to _try,"_ Sirius begged. "Lily, I can feel her, we just have to _find_ her."

The four of them were silent for a moment and for the first time since this ordeal had begun, Remus saw how riddled with fear Sirius had become. His hands were trembling like with palsy and his face was bone white. _He'll go mad if we lose Ani_, Remus thought, _and I'll have lost not one, but two of my best friends._

Without another thought he plunged his hand into his pocket and unsheathed his wand. Sirius met his eyes, barely daring to hope.

"You're right," Remus said grimly. "We've got to do something." Sirius pulled his wand out from the pocket of his robes, his eyes burning into Remus' face.

"Remus," Lily protested, shaking. "Be reasonable. This isn't working! We're alone! One of us needs to go back, get Dumbledore! He can help us."

"It'll be too late by then!" Sirius shouted at her. "Don't you get it, Evans, we have to save Ani _now!"_

Lily flared and if James had not stepped forward, Remus believed she might have thrown herself at Sirius. "We can't leave," he told Lily, whose face was burning crimson. "We're here, and we know that we have to find her. But you're right, too, Lily… we need Dumbledore's help." He let out a shaky breath. "This is more than we imagined it would be." He glanced at Remus and Sirius. "Maybe we can send him a signal or something."

"Dumbledore wouldn't have sent us out here if he didn't think we could do this," Remus retorted and Sirius nodded furiously. "He sent us out here armed with nothing but our wands and our minds, but the point is, he wouldn't have sent us if he didn't think we could use those things!

"So now," he went on, an idea flowing into his mind like out of the mists of a dream, "we need to do just that."

Lily opened her mouth to protest but Remus cut her off. "At school aren't they always telling us that magic is more than a magic wand and a spell?" he reminded her. "They're telling us that you have to use your _mind_, utilize it to its fullest! I believe," he continued, "that if we turn all the forces we have against the wardings, they will fall, and we'll be able to find Ani."

There was silence as his idea sank over them. Finally, after a long uncertain moment, Lily closed her eyes, sighed, and nodded.

"What do we have to do?" Sirius demanded. He grabbed Remus' arm. "We don't have much time."

Remus let out a shaking break and screwed his eyes up tight. "Close your eyes," he instructed them, his voice disembodied in the darkness. "Think of Ani. Think of her as though she's waiting just beyond the darkness. Focus on everything you can think about her. Now reach your hand out—" His wand shook as he extended his arm "—and _will_ the darkness to part. Reach out for Ani. Think about her as hard as you can."

A great wave rose up inside Remus as he thought of his missing friend. His waiting fingertips could almost feel her hair. Damn, but she was just out of reach! He heard Sirius swear in aggravation.

"Concentrate!" he ordered fiercely. "We've almost got it! Don't give up now!"

Suddenly, as the words left his mouth, the earth seemed to pitch beneath his feet. He heard Lily scream as his eyelids flew open and his jaw dropped.

The wardings were crumbling.

---__

_Oh God, _Ani begged, tears streaming down her face, _please let it be over soon!_

Her father let out a scream that no child should ever have to hear, his body convulsing as red light enveloped him. His screaming ceased as the light flickered away, leaving him flat on his back, chest heaving. His silence was too much to bear. Ani fought tooth and nail against Lestrange's hold, but it simply caused him to laugh maddeningly and hold her tighter.

Her father's torture had seemed to drag on forever. They asked him questions about Dumbledore, about the Order, about what was known of their Lord—they seemed to believe that his position in the Ministry of Magic gave him all the answers to these questions. When he refused to respond, they cursed him, over and over, and each time he screamed, Ani felt his pain. The dark figures took turns questioning him, taunting him, spitting on him, but Cephas held strong. Had she not been mad with panic and rage, Ani might have been proud of him—now she felt only fear.

Finally, after what seemed eons, Lestrange said coldly, "Enough."

Ani sagged with relief. The crowd backed a few steps away from her father, who pushed himself feebly to a sitting position, gasping for breath. He was battered, but alive. Her tears of agony began to slow—perhaps they would cease this madness.

"We have learned nothing more than we have in the past months," Lestrange said, sounding bored. The sport had gone out of it for him. He raised one hand, as if to motion for them to take Cephas away, when a chilling voice interrupted.

"Perhaps," Regulus Black said, a sardonic smile tracing over his lips as he stepped out of the crowd, "our guest might be more liberal with his information if he had a bit more motivation."

Lestrange shrugged. "He did nothing when we killed the Mudblood American, his own son's fiancé… why should now be any different?"

Black turned towards Ani and gave her a mocking bow. "Ah, but almost a daughter and a Mudblood isn't the same as a _true_ daughter," he reminded Lestrange, his black eyes glowering at Ani. "If nothing else, it would provide more entertainment, as you have proven to so greatly enjoy." He raked his eyes defiantly over Lestrange's face. "Besides, it might make her a bit more receptive to your… advances… should you truly show her your power."

Lestrange glared down at Black and released Ani, stepping around her to glare down at the younger boy. "Do I hear a challenge, Black?" he asked quietly.

"Perhaps you do," the boy responded.

"Don't… touch… my daughter," Cephas gasped, clutching at his ribs and pushing for his feet.

"Tsk tsk, Mr. Hellsing," Bellatrix chimed in a singsong voice. "You didn't say please."

She swept through the crowd and pointed her wand at Ani exultantly. She lowered her voice and whispered to Ani, her voice like venom, "Consider this a gift to my dear cousin in your name, blood traitor… I will see that he gets the message personally."

Ani thought of her friends and with all her heart called to them.

_Help me._

A crack, so sharp it hit Ani's ears like a physical blow, sounded through the air. Suddenly the menacing crowd was lowing like scared cattle, looking around for the source of the noise, wands at the ready. The air seemed to be vibrating in time and, like lightning, Ani thought of the few moments inside St. Mungo's that she and Sirius had before her capture.

_"Take this and don't lose it," Sirius whispered as they walked down the hall, sliding a small, smooth stone into her pocket. "The moment you feel it come to life, you'll know we're there."_

She thrust her hand into her pocket and pulled out the stone. Surely enough, the stone seemed to be bursting with energy, hot and tremulous in her palm. _Sirius and the others were somewhere nearby._

In an instant her fear was banished. She pushed through the crowd and raced towards her father. He was straining towards her, his eyes wild with fear, shouting her name. The dark figures aimed their wands at Ani, but when they faltered as another crack rang through the air, she took her chance.

"_ACCIO WAND!"_ she screamed, and in the melee, Lestrange's grip had loosened and her wand came speeding through the air towards her. Chaos erupted around them as the Death Eaters scrambled to grab the wand and Ani. But Ani was faster. She shot her hand out and grabbed the wand tightly in her hand. She shouted, "_EXPELLIARMUS!"_ and slashed her wand like a knife, and half a dozen wands flew away and clattered to the ground.

The bedlam had reached a fever pitch. Another noise, this one like the ripping of fabric, and suddenly the air itself seemed to be dissolving. The stars, up until now dim and grey, were now luminous and suddenly—her heart pounded, please don't let this be a dream!—Ani's eyes fell upon four figures standing at the crest of the moor, as though they had appeared there out of nowhere. A pair of black, fathomless eyes pierced her from the darkness.

_Sirius._

It was as though a volcano had erupted. Power and magic stronger than anything Ani had ever known spilled from her limbs and burned away any trace of fear. "_IMPEDIMENTA!"_ she screamed as a body hurtled towards her. It froze midstep, inches away from her, and Ani plunged back towards her father. She could vaguely hear Lestrange screaming, as though from far away, "Do not let them escape!"

Someone grabbed her wrist and Ani jinxed them as well, and suddenly she was next to her father, her fingers twined desperately around his. "My friends are out in the moor," she gasped to him, tugging him through a gap in the crowd, shouting a jinx over her shoulder as they ran away. "We can't leave them, Dad, we have to get to them!"

Cephas Hellsing nodded and suddenly bent down and scooped up one of the wands that had flown from its master. His legs trembled with weakness, but he ran forward with her. Father and daughter, firing curses and jinxes as fast as they could say them, dashed through the crowd, and suddenly they were toppling, falling off of the altar, onto the moor, into the mist.

"Ani! Ani, we're almost there, get up, we have to run!" her father shouted as she sprawled face first onto the ground.

She scrambled to her feet and, from far away, she heard voices screaming her name. _We're almost there,_ she thought desperately as she started to run. _Just a few more feet!_ She could see Lily's eyes, green in the starlight, James' wand, out and at the ready, the desperation on Remus' face. And she could see Sirius, his hand stretched out to her, his lips forming her name.

Ani's legs pumped as she ran beside her father, watching as her four friends drew closer and closer. She could hear Bellatrix behind her, shrieking curses and obscenities, and as she conjured all the hatred she could muster, Ani spun in step and fired another jinx straight into the beautiful, dangerous face.

"Ani!"

She turned again and slammed forward into James Potter. Her father shouted, "Come to me!" and grabbed James' hand. Lestrange was mere feet away, his wand drawn back and his mouth opened. The Marauders and Lily scrambled to join Cephas.

Finally they were all together, and Cephas shouted the same incantation that Lestrange had used to bring her there, his voice stronger than it had been all night. As Ani slid slowly out of consciousness, she felt as though her flesh were melting from the bones. But it didn't matter. They were safe. They were free. They had escaped.

---

Sirius pitched forward and crashed his head against something hard and sharp. Swearing, he flipped over onto his back, wand out, his eyes wide, his heart pounding. _Let them come._

But there was no one there.

They were inside the Hellsing house. No Death Eaters surrounded them, no freezing mist caressed their faces. They were inside the Hellsings' parlor, and they were gloriously alone.

Cephas Hellsing, looking centuries older than before, knelt at his side. "Are you hurt?" his voice rasped and Sirius shook his head, then fumbled to stand.

Lily was slumped against a chair, her shoulders quaking, her head thrown back, gasping for air. James, who had recovered quickly, was at her side, a handkerchief pressed against a freely bleeding wound at her temple. And Remus, now joined by Mr. Hellsing, was crouched next to the still, quiet body of Ani. A trickle of blood dripped from her mouth.

"Ani," Sirius gasped, and scrambled towards her.

Remus stood quickly and put a hand on Sirius' shoulder. "It's alright," he assured him gently. "She bit her tongue. She's just unconscious."

Sure enough, as Mr. Hellsing gently tapped Ani with his wand and murmured, "_Ennervate,"_ her golden eyes flew open. She looked around dazedly for a moment, then focused her gaze on her father's face.

Quicker than a thought, she was sitting up and had flung her arms around her father's neck. "Dad!" she whispered against his shoulder. "Oh Dad, thank God you're alright!"

Sirius turned away quietly, focusing his attention on Lily. Remus did the same. This moment was meant for the gods only to witness. For him to watch would be a trespass.

But that moment soon passed. An instant later, Sirius felt a hand slide into his own. He turned to see Ani—dirty, bruised, disheveled, and gloriously unharmed—looking up at him with wide eyes. "You made it," she whispered.

He couldn't keep his hand from rising to touch her face, even as her father watched them. "I told you," he said, a slow smile spreading over his face, warming him from the inside. He wiped away a dirt smudge on her cheek. "A Black promise is unbreakable."

She laughed and threw her arms around him. It was the most beautiful noise he had ever heard.

At that moment, his nose pressed against Ani's lemon scented hair, Sirius was finally convinced that everything would be alright.


	16. An Honorary Marauder

**Disclaimer:** You can rest assured that if I owned any of the H.P. rights, I would not be sitting around composing free-to-the-world fan fiction.

**Author's Note:** Ah, the last chapter. How bittersweet. I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed producing it, and make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the next part of the installment of the trilogy! It has been tentatively entitled "The Cottage in Hogsmeade" and will take place approximately during the same time period as Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Again, thank you for reading!

**While You're Waiting… **I again recommend you check out these sites, especially if you're interested in help on your own fanfic. The Harry Potter Lexicon has more information than you can shake a stick at, and The Pensieve has awesome artwork that was a constant source of inspiration. Enjoy!

---

"Padfoot?"

Sirius jolted out of his reverie and pushed up on one elbow. James, silhouetted by the light from the kitchen, strolled into the dark garden, a goblet of pumpkin juice in each hand. "Thought you might be out here," he said, flopping down onto the cool grass next to Sirius and handing him a drink.

"Just fancied some stargazing," Sirius lied, taking a sip. The iced pumpkin juice, perfect for a hot, still night such as this one, flowed deliciously down his throat. "Though I can't seem to do it anymore without wondering whether or not Mars is unusually bright for this time of year."

"Damn Astronomy," James joked back and Sirius forced himself to laugh.

They fell silent, each absorbed in his own thoughts. A night breeze played over Sirius' face, teasing his hair, but he could not appreciate the tickling sensation. He took a deep breath and narrowly resisted letting it out in a frustrated sigh. He should be lighthearted, if nothing else—their ordeal was over. Now was the time to relax, to breathe again. Yet try as he might to focus on the sweet, fecund scent of Mrs. Potter's garden, his mind was miles and miles away—atop the hill in Mistford where Lynx Anthony Hellsing, age twenty-two, had been laid to rest.

That was the last time he'd seen Ani. The Marauders—including the recently returned Peter—and their families had been among the last to leave the funeral. Sirius watched as Ani stood brave and silent between her parents, her arm entwined through her remaining brother's. Her glorious eyes had remained dry throughout the proceedings, glossing over only as she tossed a final white rose onto the casket.

Sirius hadn't wanted to leave her, but knew that the family needed to be alone to grieve. Throughout the funeral he had stayed as close to Ani as her own shadow, unable to make himself sit down in the pews with the others. He had caught Mrs. Hellsing opening her mouth as though to protest at one point—she relented, however, at a look from Ani to Sirius' grim satisfaction. _She'll just have to get used to having me around,_ he'd sworn, and later wondered dimly where the thought had come from.

"Still thinking about her?"

He glanced sharply at James, who was carefully avoiding his eyes. Fishing for a denial, he started to shake his head, but then stopped. _It's not like he hasn't figured it out yet,_ he reminded himself. _Let's face it, Black; he'd have to be an idiot not to see how you look at her._

"Yeah," he admitted, surprising himself. He flopped back onto the grass, James watching him carefully. "I wasn't expecting to see her or anything, but I was hoping she might at least send Ghost around, at least telling me that she's okay."

"You could always send her a note yourself," suggested James.

Sirius shook his head so vehemently that his friend laughed. "Pride's a nasty beast, Sirius," James reminded him. "If you want to talk to Ani, you should send her an owl on your own."

He made a vague brushing motion. "It's not really that important," Sirius attempted to lie. "I figure she's got a lot to handle right now."

James shrugged. "Just a suggestion," he said nonchalantly. Sirius nodded vaguely.

They were quiet again when James cleared his throat cautiously. Sirius, still reclining on the grass, pushed up to a sitting position and gave his friend a sideways glance. "What's on your mind, Prongs?" he asked.

"I was just wondering," James began, "when you were planning on going back to London."

Sirius felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and instantly forced himself to take a deep breath. A storm of guilt descended upon him. He'd been imposing upon the Potters' hospitality for far too long, and it was only a matter of time before Maurus Black descended upon them and demanded that they release his son to receive his proper punishment. He was amazed it had gone on as long as it had—but then, that was Mr. Black's way: he would let Sirius think he'd almost escaped, and then swoop down and destroy him.

_It isn't fair to the Potters,_ he told himself. _They didn't ask to get involved in this war between Blacks._ "Soon, I reckon," he said aloud to James. He tried to laugh but it came out sounding dry and feeble. "I mean, can't stay here forever, can I?"

"Says who?"

He fell silent, looking at James out of the corner of his eye. His best friend seemed to be struggling internally and when he finally spoke, it was in the fashion of one who was anticipating a blow. "Look, Sirius," James said evenly, studying his hands as he spoke. "This whole mad episode has really gotten me thinking, you know? I've been talking with my dad lately and, well…" He shook his head. "We all have to protect each other, Sirius, because there are people in this world who don't give a damn if we live or die. Ani lost her brother learning that and, well—" He leveled his gaze with Sirius' firmly "—now that _I_ know that I'm not going to lose _my_ brother because of it."

Overwhelmed, Sirius didn't speak. James rushed to continue, unable to see Sirius' face in the dark, "So the point of all of this is that you're staying with us whether you like it or not, Black. Dad and I will tie you up if we have to, but you're not going back to London. And don't even make me bring Mum into it." He glanced at his friend. "Got it?"

Sirius nodded, a lump in his throat. "Got it," he said thickly.

James sighed in satisfaction. "Good."

Another silence, this one heavy with unspoken words. Sirius knew he ought to say something, express his gratitude to James, tell him that he, too, thought of him as the brother he ought to have had. But James broke the silence first.

"Couldn't go back to Hogwarts without you in top form, Padfoot," he said briskly. "I'd be bored to tears."

Sirius laughed. "Don't worry," he said in a low voice, unable to keep from grinning. "Marauders stick together. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried."

James lifted his goblet and tapped it against Sirius'. "Cheers," he said, grinning back, and they both drained their goblets.

---

"Remus! Come downstairs, you have a guest!"

Frowning absently, Remus sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. _Who could that be? _he wondered, marking his Hemingway with a slip of parchment and heading for the stairs. _The Marauders have been over here entirely too often for Mum to call them guests, and it's not registration time._

Remus dashed down the last few steps and into the study, where his mother sat in a rocking chair with a square of needlepoint in her lap. She looked up and smiled at him, sweeping a lock of graying hair out of her eyes. He smiled back. "Who is it?" he asked her, tilting his cheek down to accept a kiss.

"A young lady to see you," Mrs. Lupin replied, her eyes twinkling behind her glasses, and Remus felt his chest constrict.

Squeezing his mother's shoulder, Remus turned and walked towards the kitchen. For the first time he became aware of two voices—a clear soprano and a young, burbling tenor—in quiet exchange in the kitchen. He walked in and paused in the doorway, an unstoppable grin spreading over his face. Ani was seated at the kitchen table, her hair bound atop her head the way it had been when he'd seen her in the garden at Bath. Her back, which was smudged with Floo powder, remained to him—her attention was wholly focused on Remiel, who was introducing her to Elliot, his fluffy custard-colored Puffskein.

"Remus got him for me in Hogsmeade for Christmas!" Remmy chirped happily, stroking Elliot between the eyes. Ani laughed as the puffball made content, crooning sounds. "We named him Elliot because the first thing he did when he got here was rip of one of Remus' poetry books and make a nest, and the poet's name was Elliot, so we though it would be a good name, since he liked it so much." He noticed his brother then and looked up and beamed. "Right, Remus?"

"That's right," Remus chuckled good-naturedly. Ani turned and smiled at him as he said, "It was only a first edition that Dad had gotten me for my birthday one year… no great loss."

She laughed appreciatively—how long must it have been since she laughed like that?—and rolled her eyes. "Of course not."

Remus crossed the room as she stood up and, unable to stem his happiness at seeing her, reached out and gripped her hands tightly. She squeezed back, looking up at him with gleaming eyes. "Do you want some tea?" he asked after a long moment, finally dropping her hands.

"No, thank you," she declined. She hesitated. "I was thinking we might take a walk instead?"

"Sure," Remus said. He gestured to the back door and paused as Ani turned to face Remmy once more.

She stuck out her hand, which Remmy accepted and shook solemnly. "It was very nice to meet you, Remiel," she said, her free hand reaching up to stroke the curtain of sandy hair affectionately. "I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

"Bye, Ani," Remiel said, cradling Elliot close to his chest. He released her hand and walked over to Remus. "She's fun," he whispered loudly, "and pretty. I like her a lot." He grinned broadly at Ani once more before leaving the kitchen, his Puffskein chirruping happily in his arms.

"What can I say?" Remus asked Ani with a smile. "He's got good taste." She blushed and smiled, and together they walked out of the door into the backyard.

Moonflower Cottage, where the Lupins lived, was on the outskirts of a small village, wreathed by great hills. Half a dozen paths, worn by centuries of footfalls, crisscrossed out into the hills and forest beyond. Remus, who had walked each path so often that he could tread the way in his sleep, took Ani down his particular favorite. They were quiet, enjoying the warm day, until they got to a large bowl-shaped meadow filled with wildflowers. Here, his stomach twisting, Remus reached out and touched Ani's arm gently. "How are you doing?" he asked quietly.

Ani sighed and settled down onto the ground, sitting on a large flat rock. "I'm still kind of stunned," she admitted honestly. The words came out rushed, as if she had been waiting to share them with someone. "If I go out into town, I walk into Lynx's restaurant and wonder why he isn't behind the counter, or why I can't hear him shouting out orders." Remus nodded, sitting down before her, tucking one long leg up to his chest. "And then I come home and I see my mother looking miserable and Dad looking weak and Rion with his face like a storm and…" She shook her head, a few free curls dancing around her face. "I just don't see how we'll get past this."

"You will, though," assured Remus. "It just takes time."

She nodded. "That's what Lil keeps saying," she told him. Her expression lightened. "Lily has been just great to me. She's practically moved in to look after my parents and me. I'm quite grateful to her." She sighed. "I just don't know how my parents are going to be when we go back to Hogwarts."

"I'm sure they'll miss you, of course… but they know that you belong at school, and that you'll be safe there," Remus pointed out. "In fact, I'll bet you'd be safer at Hogwarts than anywhere else in the world."

"You're probably right," Ani said.

They were quiet for a few moments. Remus, uncertain as to what to say, began to pick bits of clover out of the ground, weaving them into a long chain. He finally tied the ends together to make a necklace and slipped it over Ani's head, smiling uncertainly at her, hoping to ease her out of her mood. She fingered it gently and grinned at him. Remus felt his spirits lift.

But when Ani spoke again, her tone was far from light.

"They killed Blythe, you know," she informed him softly. "They thought it would get Dad to talk. He had to watch them do it."

Remus sighed and nodded heavily—so much for a lighter conversation. "I kind of figured."

She nodded and ran her fingers through the grass absently. "Her grandmother's dead, and her mother didn't reply to the letter we sent her by Muggle post. Mum and Dad didn't know what to do about the funeral—no body—" Remus cringed and Ani glanced at him apologetically. "—Sorry. Anyway… they just decided to put up a headstone for her on our plot, next to… next to Lynx's." She sighed. "They were in love… they wanted to get married. In the end, it would have been that way anyway. It just happened too soon."

"At least they're together," Remus said quietly, uncertain whether or not the emotional edict was really what Ani needed to hear. Her eyes glossed over, but she quickly shook that away and nodded her head. He went on. "And perhaps, horrible though it is, it's better that way. No one would want to be without the person they loved best." Then, before he could stop himself, he looked steadily at Ani and added, "I know I wouldn't."

The luminous, beautiful golden eyes looked up at him and Remus' heart skipped a beat. They were full of so many things he couldn't have named—and then, he saw with a gentle pang, something he recognized all too well. _But at least it's not unexpected,_ he reminded himself.

"Remus…" Ani began, her voice velvety but heavy with regret.

He held up a hand, cut her off in midsentence. "I know," he said quietly. "And it's okay. Really." He smiled at her. "Sirius is my best friend… you couldn't have picked better, really."

Ani leaned forward and grabbed his hands fiercely. "You have been there for me more than I ever could have asked you to," she said sharply, eyes bright. "You have done nothing but help and protect me, and I am so grateful for it. I could not have asked for a better friend than you've been to me, Remus." Her voice, so controlled thus far, shook ever so slightly. "I never, never want to lose that."

_Ah,_ a little voice in his mind sighed ironically. _The best friend card, how sweet. That and a shilling will buy you a biscuit._

_Shut it, you,_ he snapped back. He looked at Ani, who seemed immobile from worry, and squeezed her hands reassuringly. "Not a chance," he told her. "You're an honorary Marauder now, Ani… you're stuck with us all."

The light in her face and the kiss she placed gently on his forehead were worth the rejection. Remus smiled back at her and got to his feet. "Come on," he said, tugging her up to join him. "Let's go a bit further. There's a great old oak tree up ahead. I think you can see all the way to London if you climb high enough."

"Lead the way," Ani said.

They walked for a while in silence again, but this time it was companionable, not weighed down by sadness. A strange happiness filled Remus—he was safe. Ani was safe. James, Sirius, Lily, Peter… they were all safe. They had shared an experience that would never leave them, but they had survived. If they could get through this, Remus felt sure they could get through anything.

With this deep happiness came resolution. He looked down at Ani, lovely, lovely Ani. _She cares about you,_ he told himself. _You, all the way through. If you're going to tell her, it's now or never_.

"I want to tell you something…" he said cautiously, "something I don't tell many people." She glanced up at him, curiosity written all over her face. He pulled in a deep breath and took the plunge.

"When I was really young, I wandered away by myself into the woods…"

---

Last stop.

Ani managed a semi-graceful stop, for once, at the Potters' fireplace. She emerged cautiously and brushed the ash from her bare shoulders. The Potters' kitchen was empty, and the house seemed still. She swore inwardly. _It would be just my luck that they aren't home._

Still, she lifted her voice and called out, "Hello? James? Is anyone home?"

The house was quiet, and Ani sighed in discouragement. The summer was slowly dwindling—it would be several fortnights before she would return to King's Cross station to climb aboard the Hogwarts Express, and frankly, Ani could not wait that long to see Sirius again.

In respect for her brother's death and her family's grief, Ani had stayed close to home ever since the funeral. Indeed, it was just easier to stay at home reading in bed or playing chess with Rion. And it kept her parents at ease. Her mother—_Bless her heart,_ Ani thought sadly—would whip around from time to time, eyes wide, sick with fear, to see if Ani and Rion were still close by. And many nights, when Ani crept downstairs for a glass of water, she would find her father sitting alone in their greatroom, staring unseeingly into an empty fireplace. Nights like these, Ani would go and sit by his side, silent, until she could stay awake no longer.

"I should have protected you all better," he said on one such night in a voice leaden from grief. "I never should have joined that damn Order. Not when I had a family I should have been looking out for."

"Don't be stupid," Ani had replied swiftly, and her father looked at her in surprise. "You were _trying_ to protect us from the most dangerous thing out there," she reminded him. "Lynx knew that, Mum and Rion and I know that."

"Two innocent lives were lost because I wanted to help save the world," Mr. Hellsing said back, and Ani cringed at the bitterness in his voice. "My own son."

Ani had stood and walked over to her father, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck and kissing the white hair. "And how many more will be saved because you chose to fight against Voldemort?" she asked him quietly. "I love you, Dad, and you did the right thing. No one would dare tell you otherwise."

She went to bed then, and the next morning, her father went to work for the first time since his return. His face, still lined with grief, seemed clearer now. He smiled at her as he headed for the fireplace and squeezed her shoulder. "You're very wise, Ani," he told her softly. "Thank you."

Lily, of course, was over almost all the time, which kept Ani from going stir crazy. But even her best friend could not keep her from longing for someone else entirely. In the end, it had been Lily who had suggested that Ani make a trip to visit Sirius—much to Ani's intense surprise.

"You didn't see him after Lestrange took you, Ani," Lily said when Ani questioned her. "I did. He might still be a bit of a toerag, but he's a toerag who cares very much about you. In the end, that's all I ask for."

So Lily had consented to sit with Ani's family while she made rounds to all the Marauders. She had stopped first at Remus'—_And what an eye-opening experience that was,_ she thought now, still amazed at the story Remus had told her—and then secondly at Peter's, to thank him for attending the funeral. Then finally, her heart clamoring, Ani had gone to the Potters' to see James and Sirius.

And now no one was home.

Since no one was there to witness her disappointment, she allowed herself a mild fit of swearing. Finally finished, she reached into her pocket for her bag of traveling Floo powder, when a voice sounded through the house.

"Who's there?"

Her heart leapt into her throat. "Sirius?" she called out, leaving the kitchen, heading for the source of the sound. "Are you here? It's Ani."

There was a great clatter and suddenly Sirius appeared from around a corner. He looked as though he'd been napping: his usually impeccable hair was slightly ruffled, his T-shirt and jeans a bit wrinkled. Ani felt herself go weak. She'd never seen a more attractive sight in her life.

They stared at each other for a long moment, black eyes locked onto gold, until Sirius finally spoke.

"Hello, beautiful."

It was too much. Ani launched herself forward into his waiting arms, twining her fingers into his hair, pressing her lips in a desperate kiss against his forehead. He lifted her up and wrapped his arms tightly around her, then kissed the length of her jaw and neck once, twice, half a dozen times. Finally he sat her back down on the ground and claimed her face in his hands before claiming her mouth with a searing kiss.

"_God_ I've missed you," Sirius whispered when he finally pulled away. He stroked her hair and looked down, concerned, into her face. "How are you, Ani?"

"I'm wonderful, now," she replied, turning to kiss the palm of the hand that cupped her face. She looked around. "Where's James?"

"He and his parents went into London for the day," answered Sirius. "I told them to go on without me—I've personally spent enough time in London this summer."

They both laughed and Sirius ran his hand over Ani's hair. "Really, Ani," he said gently, "I've been going bats worrying about you. How's your family? How are _you?"_

"It's hard," she admitted, "but we're getting by. It's just something we have to deal with, day by day." She looked up at him. "I'm sorry I haven't written… It's just that I didn't know what to say, and what I _wanted_ to say, I wanted to say in person."

"What did you want to say?" Sirius asked. He moved a fraction of an inch closer.

"I wanted to thank you," Ani said softly, "for everything that you've done for me. You and James both. I couldn't have gotten through this without you lot, and I just wanted you to know how grateful I am."

"It's nice to know that the Marauders are good for getting you _out_ of trouble as well as _into_ it, isn't it?" he teased, and Ani laughed. Sirius went on, less flippantly, "You don't have to thank me, Ani, and I know James would say the same thing. You're our _friend._ Of course we'd want to keep you safe. It's what friends do for each other."

"Besides Lily, I've never had friends like you, James, Remus and Peter before," she informed him, smiling. "I think I got the pick of the bunch, though."

"Funny," Sirius smiled back, leaning in and kissing her lightly once more. "I was thinking the same thing about you."

Feeling as though she'd won a thousand Galleons, Ani flashed another grin at Sirius and pushed back to an arm's length. "I'd never have thought," she began, a laugh rising up inside of her, "at the beginning of this summer that I'd finish it off snogging with Sirius Black."

He laughed enthusiastically and pulled her back against his chest. "Get used to it, darling," he said charismatically. "You'll be doing it for a good long time."

"Chipper," Ani replied, and closed her eyes to be kissed once more.

**The End**


End file.
